Blast from the Past
by Golden Ice
Summary: Cats of the Dark Forest have messed with the timeline, causing Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Stormfur, Feathertail, Spiderleg, and Birchfall to have never been born. They must now go back in time to save their lives. FirexSand, GrayxSilver, FernxDust, & more!
1. Prologue

Blast from the Past

By Firestar's Gal

Kits of Firepaw, Sandpaw, Graypaw, and Dustpaw are dying! Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Stormfur, and Spiderleg are sent back in time to meet their parents as apprentices and find their mates to save their lives. Takes place during into the wild.

Prologue

Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were sitting side by side in the nursery, Brambleclaw gently grooming Squirrelflight. They had three beautiful kits that had just been born: Jaykit, Lionkit, and Hollykit.

Suddenly, Squirrelflight and the kits flickered, and disappeared. Brambleclaw didn't know what to do, so he ran to Leafpool's den

"Leafpool!" Brambleclaw called, rushing in.

"She's not here," pregnant Ferncloud said from a nest. "She was just giving me some herbs, and she disappeared!"

"That's what happened to Squirrelflight!" Brambleclaw replied fretted.

"Leafpool, Stormfur disappeared!" Brook ran in the medicine den and skidded to a halt.

"Leafpool, Spiderleg's gone!" Dustpelt ran in behind Brook.

"Spiderleg's gone!" Ferncloud exclaimed from her makeshift nest.

"Leafpool disappeared too!" Brambleclaw exclaimed, "And Squirrelflight!"

"What's going on here?" Firestar walked into the den and glanced around at the cats.

"Firestar," complained a tortoiseshell, walking in behind him, "What are these cats doing in my den?"

"Just a second, Spottedleaf," Firestar said to the tortoiseshell, "What in the world is going on?"

All the other cats stared blankly at the long deceased cat and finally, Brambleclaw exclaimed, "Leafpool, Squirrelflight, Jaykit, Hollykit, Lionkit, Stormfur, and Spiderleg are gone!"

"Who are they?" Firestar asked.

"Leafpool and Squirrelflight are your kits! And Jaykit, Hollykit, and Lionkit are mine! They're gone!" Brambleclaw exclaimed.

"I have kits! Spottedleaf, how come you never told me?" Firestar asked.

"They're not Spottedleaf's! Spottedleaf died a long time ago! They're yours and Sandstorm's!" Brambleclaw shouted.

"Sandstorm and I, kits, right," Firestar joked. "Sandstorm and I hate each other, we've never got along, and you know that!"

"This makes no sense! Come on, Ferncloud, Dustpelt, Brook, let's go try to figure this out," Brambleclaw said to them and started leading them out of the camp.

Meanwhile

Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Stormfur, and Spiderleg appear on a glasslike surface high above the ground, with stain glass stars dotted every now and then.

"I'm glad you could make it," A blue-gray cat said, greeting the confused cats.

"Well, it wasn't hard, considering we were taken against our will!" snapped Spiderleg.

"You are your father's son," the blue-gray cat murmured.

"Hi, Bluestar," Stormfur greeted casually.

"You know her?" Leafpool questioned him.

"Yeah, Bluestar was still ThunderClan leader when I was a kit," Stormfur replied.

"Bluestar, I have a question," Squirrelflight said.

"Yes, Squirrelflight?" Bluestar asked.

"Where are my kits?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Right here," Bluestar said, letting the kits wonder out from behind her. "Don't worry; we will take very good care of them."

"Are they dead?" Squirrelflight said weakly.

"No, dear one, they are not. But that is what I need you for," Bluestar replied.

"For what?" Leafpool asked.

"Cats from the dark forest have messed with the time belt. They have made it to where none of you have been born, and Spottedleaf never died," Bluestar told them. "I need you to go back in time, to when you parents were apprentices, and help your parents meet each other."

"Why can't we just tell them and get it over with?" Squirrelflight asked.

"They might not fall in love," Bluestar replied. "A good relationship needs care and time, and you need to help your parents' along. Are you up to that?"

"If it means I get to exist, then, sure," Stormfur said.

"We're in," The rest of the cats said at once.

"Okay, I want you to follow the star path to the correct point in time. When you get to the end, you will be in my den. I will not remember this because it will be back in time. I cannot guarantee anything. If you fail the mission, you will have never existed. Good luck," Bluestar said, leaving them to take the star path.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey, everyone! I'm glad you R&R'd and stuff, you know. Here's Chapter 1.**

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Chapter 1

Bluestar was in her den grooming herself when she heard a whooshing sound. A blue light appeared out of nowhere and four cats stumbled out.

She immediately got into a protective stance and said, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The fiery orange one stepped closer and introduced herself. "I'm Squirrelflight; they are Leafpool, Stormfur, and Spiderleg."

"You look like some of our apprentices, are you relatives, perhaps?" Bluestar suggested.

"You could say that," Stormfur said.

"How did you get here?" Bluestar asked.

"Did you not see the big blue light thing?" Spiderleg asked sarcastically.

"You are your father's son," Leafpool murmured.

"Shut up," Spiderleg said back.

"What's going on?" Bluestar asked.

"We're here to save our lives," Squirrelflight said.

"Elaborate," Bluestar told her.

"Okay, well, some cats from the dark forest messed with the time belt and made it to where we never were born so you, in the future, anyways, when you're past to StarClan, called us all to StarClan's grounds and told us to come here and fix it, but we can't tell our parents who their mates are because you said they might not fall in love, so we need to stay here for a while so we can make sure that our parents love each other and so we don't die," Squirrelflight said.

"Whoa, that was like, the longest run-on sentence ever," Bluestar said, wide eyed. "But, that was convincing enough. Besides, you all look like some apprentices of ours, so I guess I'll go ahead and introduce you to the Clan."

"I never thought I looked like my father," Spiderleg said.

"I guess we'll let the Clan guess then," Bluestar said, leaving the den to spring onto the highrock. The four time travelers looked at each other and followed her out.

"Let all those old enough to catch their own prey join here under the Highrock for a Clan meeting," Bluestar called as the four newcomers sat against the highrock. When the Clan gathered, Bluestar announced, "We have four new cats here that will join us temporarily."

"Oh, brilliant," Longtail muttered. "You bring in some lost kittypet and now you bring in some more outsiders. It looks like you got his sister here, too!"

"Hey! I'm not his sister, I'm his daughter!" Squirrelflight snapped.

Firepaw looked at the she-cat, shocked. _I have a daughter?_

"Yeah, right, you're twice his size!" Longtail jeered.

"Same old Longtail," Leafpool muttered.

"How do you know me?" Longtail asked.

"Know you? I take herbs to you in the elder's den once a day! You and your failing sight," Leafpool exclaimed.

"What's wrong with failing sight? My son is blind!" Squirrelflight shouted at her sister.

_I have grandkits!!!!! _Firepaw thought.

"Stop fighting this instant!" Bluestar demanded.

All the cats turned and looked at Bluestar.

"These are special cats. They were dying because some cats in the dark forest messed with the time belt and caused them not to exist," she explained.

"Yes," Leafpool said, "each one of us is here to represent a parent, and to help that parent find our other parent. If we don't, we die."

"Thank you, Leafpool. Anyway, before we send them all to their parents, I thought it'd be fun if you could try and guess whose kits they are," Bluestar announced. "Who wants to go first?" Bluestar asked.

"I'll go," Squirrelflight said. She jumped up onto the highrock beside Bluestar and said, "I'm Squirrelflight."

"You're Firepaw's daughter!" pretty much all the cats in the Clan said.

"Yes," Squirrelflight said, jumping down to join her father with the apprentices.

"Did you say something about having a son?" Firepaw asked Squirrelflight.

"I have three kits, two toms and a she-cat," Squirrelflight said.

Firepaw gaped. "Do I have any more kits?"

"One," Squirrelflight said.

Stormfur jumped on the highrock next. "I'm Stormfur," he introduced.

"Oh, that's me," Graypaw said as every cat turned to look at him.

"Is it that obvious?" Stormfur asked sarcastically, jumping down from the highrock to stand beside Graypaw.

"Oh, no, another Graypaw," Sandpaw said.

"Well, none of those cats look like they belong to you, so at least Firepaw and I were hot enough to find mates!" Graypaw teased.

"Ooh, burn!" Stormfur said.

"Stormfur, do I have any other kits?" Graypaw asked hopefully.

"My sister Feathertail was just like our mother, or you said, anyway," Stormfur replied sadly.

"'Was?'" Graypaw asked.

"Yes, she died, saving all the Clans," Stormfur told him with a sigh.

Next Leafpool jumped on the highrock. "Leafpool, medicine cat," She told them coolly.

"It has to be Dustpelt!" some random cat called out.

"No!" Leafpool exclaimed. "Sandpaw is my mother." She hopped down to meet Sandpaw.

"My kit is a medicine cat!" Sandpaw shrieked.

"Yeah, and I own it," Leafpool said, flicking her tail.

"That's my girl!" Sandpaw said in approval.

"I'm Spiderleg," Spiderleg said, jumping up onto the highrock.

"He looks just like Ravenpaw!" another random cat shouted.

"Wrongo," Spiderleg said. "Dustpaw's my father." He hopped off the highrock and went to join Dustpaw.

"I got any more kits?" Dustpaw asked.

"Four," Spiderleg replied.

Dustpaw's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "Six! From how many litters?"

"Mother's pregnant with the third right now. I'm from the first litter," Spiderleg told him.

"What about me?" Ravenpaw asked, looking over the crowd for more cats.

"There were no more cats with us," Squirrelflight told him, resting her tail on his shoulders.

"So, I never found a mate?" Ravenpaw said sadly.

"I'm not sure if you did or not, to be honest, Ravenpaw," Leafpool said to him. "We've actually not seen you too much."

"Great, now I'm dead," Ravenpaw said sadly.

"No, no not dead," Leafpool assured him. "You're just not around too much anymore. We can't tell you anything about your future right now, but you're very safe and comfortable."

"That's a little better," Ravenpaw said hopefully.

"Okay, okay, these apprentices have a lot of training to do, so scram!" Tigerclaw said, cutting into their conversations.

As the five apprentices walked away with Tigerclaw, the four future cats gave him hard stares and followed his every pawstep.

"What's that about?" Bluestar asked, walking up to the new cats.

"Um, sorry, we can't tell you yet," Leafpool told her.

"Okay. Well, we have a free bush that hasn't been made into a den, if you four want to use that. I'm sure you wouldn't want to share the apprentice's den with your parents," Bluestar invited.

"That'd be great, Bluestar," Stormfur said, dipping his head to the former leader.

"Okay, go make yourselves comfortable, the bush is over there," Bluestar angled her tail toward a bush beside the outer wall.

"You guys go on ahead," Leafpool said to the three who were already going toward their makeshift den. "Bluestar, do you think it'd be a problem if I went to the medicine den and spoke with Spottedleaf?"

"No, go on ahead," Bluestar said warmly.

"Oh, and Bluestar, one more thing," Leafpool continued.

"Yes," Bluestar said.

"Mistyfoot said hi," Leafpool said.

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**Ooh! A cliffy! Well, not really, but that's got to worry Bluestar a little. :P**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thank you sooooooo much for reviewing! I love you all! Here's the next chappie! (You deserve it!)**

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Chapter 2

Bluestar stood there, shocked. Sandpaw's kit was an interesting she-cat, and she couldn't quite put her paw on who would possibly father a kit of Sandpaw's and have her turn out to be a medicine cat. She sure didn't get that from her mother! Bluestar thought how peculiar it was that Leafpool looked a lot like Dustpelt, but she couldn't picture two rude and fiery apprentices having such a calm, brilliant kit. But, she was more concerned with that little Mistyfoot comment from the moment before. _How could she know that? Well, Mistyfoot does look like me. But Stonefur does too. How come he didn't say anything to her for me? When do they find out? I don't know, but I'm talking to that little she-cat about it as soon as possible!_

Leafpool walked to the mouth of the tunnel to Spottedleaf's den. "Spottedleaf, it's Leafpool. Can I talk to you?"

"Leafpool, of course you can!" Spottedleaf said, shocked to see the future medicine cat want to talk to her. "But why do you want to talk to me?"

"Well," Leafpool began hesitantly, "I know you don't remember this, but mostly because it hasn't happened yet, but you've helped me a lot during my time as a medicine cat apprentice."

"Well, why wouldn't I? I was your mentor, was I not?" Spottedleaf asked.

"No, Cinderpelt was my mentor," Leafpool told her. "You died long before I was even born."

"Oh, then how come I spoke or will speak with you if I died before you were ever born?" Spottedleaf asked, mystified.

"Spottedleaf, you as a medicine cat should know!" Leafpool exclaimed. "You speak to me in dreams, of course."

"Oh, right. Sorry, I've been a little distracted lately," Spottedleaf confessed.

"With Firepaw," Leafpool finished.

"Yes," Spottedleaf said hesitantly. "How'd you know?"

"Promise not to tell?" Leafpool asked.

Spottedleaf nodded vigorously.

"I felt the same way when I was in love with Crowfeather. He's a WindClan cat from my time. If I'm correct, Ashfoot has just had or is going to have is elder siblings about now," Leafpool told her.

"You're secret's safe with me," Spottedleaf promised.

"Yours too," Leafpool agreed.

"So, Leafpool, what can you tell me about Squirrelflight?" Spottedleaf asked her.

"You're long dead by the time she's born too," Leafpool told her.

"So she's not my kit?" Spottedleaf asked, knowing what the answer would be..

"No, sorry," Leafpool told her, putting her tail on Spottedleaf's shoulder.

"What can you tell me about her?" Spottedleaf asked.

Leafpool breathed. "Well, I know I can trust you not to tell my mother, so, I'll say it. Squirrelflight and I are-"

"Leafpool!" Bluestar shouted, coming into the medicine den unannounced.

"What is it, Bluestar?" Leafpool asked, acting innocent.

"How'd you know about her?" Bluestar demanded.

"Who are you talking about?" Spottedleaf asked.

"Yes, Bluestar, who are you talking about?" Leafpool asked innocently.

"You know very well, you just said it for StarClan's sake!" Bluestar exclaimed.

"Spottedleaf, can you excuse us for a second?" Leafpool asked.

"Yes, actually, I was just about to go collect some… yew!" Spottedleaf said hurriedly.

"You don't collect yew, for StarClan's sake, Spottedleaf!" Leafpool shouted.

"Okay, how about, poppy heads! Yes, I shall collect poppy heads! I'll be right back!" Spottedleaf said, sprinting off.

"Okay," Leafpool asked Bluestar, "What do you need to know?"

"How you knew that," Bluestar brought her voice down, "Mistyfoot is my kit!"

"Oh, that was easy," Leafpool said. "Daddy figured it out soon after he was made a warrior. It's not exactly a shock, have you seen how much you look alike?"

"Who is your father?" Bluestar asked.

"Sorry. Can't tell you," Leafpool told her.

"Why not?" Bluestar asked.

"You'd die right now of shock instead of when the dog pack came," Leafpool told her.

Bluestar's eyes widened. "A dog pack is coming here! Oh, brilliant."

"Don't worry. It will be a while. Not until after daddy is made deputy and Tigerclaw takes over ShadowClan," Leafpool told her with a smug grin.

"He what?" Bluestar asked.

"If anyone asks, you didn't hear it from me," Leafpool said to her, and then left Bluestar with a ton of questions and few precious answers as she went off to the makeshift den at the end of camp.

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**Please excuse me for the short chapter. But, you're lucky. I was going to stop at: "Squirrelflight and I are-"**

**But I decided to be nice.**

**No need to thank me, just review!**

**-Firestar's Gal**


	4. Chapter 3

**Again, thank you all for reviewing! I never expected a story of mine to be such a hit! And, as usual, on with the story!**

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Chapter 3

"Hey, sis," Squirrelflight greeted Leafpool as her sister walked into the den.

"Shh! No sibling stuff here, they're not supposed to find out!" Leafpool told her sister sternly.

"Well, sorry" Squirrelflight said sarcastically.

"We were just about to go hunt. If you're done gabbing with that medicine cat, would you care to join us?" Spiderleg invited Leafpool.

"Sure, maybe we can speak with the "apprentices" afterward," Leafpool suggested.

"We could catch fresh-kill for them and us, and we could share a meal," Squirrelflight said.

"Isn't it odd, Squirrelflight, to see our parents not get along the way they are, and to call Firestar Firepaw?" Leafpool asked jokingly.

"Yeah, it's funny. You'd never think of your leader as an apprentice," Stormfur commented.

"Or your father," Squirrelflight continued with a mrrow of laughter.

"Leader?" breathed a shocked voice from outside.

"Who's there? Why are you listening to us?" Leafpool asked, peering through the branches of the bush.

Squirrelflight pushed her way out of the den and came face to face with a dark tabby cat with amber eyes. At the sight of him, her face lit up and she started nuzzling him.

"Brambleclaw!" she exclaimed, licking his face.

"Get away from me, you stupid she-cat!" the tabby demanded, backing away.

"Brambleclaw?" Squirrelflight asked, with a sad look in her face

"No, I'm Tigerclaw!" Tigerclaw shouted at her.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" Squirrelflight shrieked, springing up into the air, claws extended. She landed behind her sister, who, along with the rest of the cats, had come out of the den to stare puzzlingly as she nuzzled the evil tom.

Tigerclaw looked at the freaked she-cat to the hard stares of the other future cats.

"Do you know something?" Tigerclaw asked suspiciously.

"Yeah!" Squirrelflight answered, her fur still standing on end.. "You're not your son!"

Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. "Anything else?" he asked in a dark voice.

"Um, no," Leafpool stammered.

"Mark my words," Tigerclaw threatened them. "I know you know something I don't want to be known, so you better watch it, or your little parents will disappear before they get their warrior names." On that note, he stalked off.

"We're not afraid of you," Spiderleg said after him.

After the cats hunted, they sat and ate by the apprentice's den with their parents. Squirrelflight had just said something mean, obnoxious, and down right rude, and Firepaw had to comment on it.

"Squirrelflight, are you sure you're my kit and not Sandpaw's?" Firepaw joked.

"You never know, I could be both," Squirrelflight pretend-joked back.

All the apprentices started busting up at that, and the time travelers fake-laughed to go along with it.

"That sure would explain why my daughter's a medicine cat," Sandpaw commented. "Firepaw always was soft." She cuffed him over the ear in play-fight and he cuffed her back.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight exchanged glances with each other and then with the other future cats.

"Graypaw, Dustpaw! Look! A mouse just ran into that bush over there! Let's chase it!" Stormfur exclaimed, thinking of a quick diversion that got Graypaw, Dustpaw, Spiderleg, and Stormfur gone in a flash.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight looked at each other and said in unison "Gotta go!" Then they ran and hid behind a nearby bush to peer out at Firepaw and Sandpaw.

"Well, that was weird," Firepaw commented.

"Sure was," Sandpaw said uncomfortably back to him.

There was an awkward silence.

"So," Firepaw said, breaking the silence, "This whole thing, with the kits, is kind of weird, don't you think?"

"You can say that again," Sandpaw agreed. "Isn't it weird that my kit is no soft and nice?"

"And mine is so… like you?" Firepaw continued.

"You bet," Sandpaw laughed, looking into Firepaw's eyes.

"You got any clue who the other parent is?" Firepaw asked, looking away uncomfortably.

"Nope. You?" Sandpaw asked.

"I'm stumped," Firepaw admitted.


	5. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for reading again. I only wish I could keep updating everyday like I have been, but school is starting on the 15****th****, and it won't be easy. I will try to continue and finish the story anyways; however, it will go a lot slower I think. On with the story!**

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Chapter 4

Leafpool and Squirrelflight giggled as they watched their parents be so stupid.

"They're being so stupid!" Stormfur laughed, coming up from behind the sisters.

"You can say that again," Spiderleg commented, joining them. "I bet Sandpaw thinks Leafpool's Dustpelt's daughter!"

"Well, they do look a lot alike," Squirrelflight said.

"But Firepaw should have guessed, seeing as how you act just like Sandpaw," Leafpool told Squirrelflight.

"But I bet he thinks I'm Spottedleaf's kit. We must keep an eye on them, or else they could be quite mistaken and some history could be changed beyond repair," Squirrelflight argued.

"I already told Spottedleaf that you're not hers," Leafpool confessed. "I almost told her the truth."

"You didn't, did you?" Squirrelflight asked, worried.

"No, Bluestar interrupted just in time. I let my mouth slip and told her that Mistyfoot said hi," Leafpool confessed.

"I can't believe you! Why did you tell Bluestar that? She could be overstressed and make us leave! Then we'd fail the mission and never exist!" Stormfur fretted.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Stormfur, there was no mouse," Graypaw said, coming up from behind them.

"Looks like your son's blind!" Dustpelt teased.

"Say that to my face!" Stormfur demanded.

"Watch it, kid, or I could permanently mess up your father so he can't even have kits," Dustpaw threatened.

"Ooh, that would not be good," Graypaw shuddered.

"We might as well go back now," Leafpool suggested.

"Where did you all go?" Firepaw asked.

"I must be seeing things, there was no mouse," Stormfur lied.

"We really like to hunt," Leafpool explained.

"Yeah, well, we gotta go," Squirrelflight said as the future cats rushed off to their den.

Next morning, Leafpool was hunting in the woods when she spotted Firepaw. She immediately ran to catch up with him. As she neared, she saw him stalking a thrush. He crept closer, closer, and closer still.

"Gotcha!" Firepaw exclaimed as he jumped onto the thrush and killed it with a swift bite. He then dug a hole and buried the thrush into it so he could collect it later. When he looked up, he came face- to- face with Leafpool.

"Hey, fath- I mean Firepaw, how's the hunting going?" She asked. _Careful! You almost blew it!_

"Good," He told her. "Why are you talking to me?"

"Oh, no reason," Leafpool said casually. "I just speak to you a lot in the future and wanted to see how you were as an apprentice."

"Why does Sandpaw's kit want to talk to me?" Firepaw asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Leafpool asked.

"Sandpaw and I never get along, why would I get along with her kit?" Firepaw asked.

"You never know, she might surprise you," Leafpool said with a wink.

"What are you telling me?" Firepaw asked suspiciously.

"What do you think I'm telling you?" Leafpool asked guardedly.

"Ah ha!" a voice exclaimed from behind them.

The two cats whirled around but only saw the bushes rustle from the flee of the cat.

"I have to go," Leafpool said hurriedly and sprinted away.

.:Meanwhile:.

"Hi, Dustpaw," Squirrelflight greeted the brown tomcat.

"Um, hi, Squirrelflight," he said, shocked to see his enemy's daughter speaking to him. "Why are you talking to me?" Dustpaw asked.

"Well, you taught me a ton of stuff in my apprentice days, and I just wanted to see if there's anything I could do to repay you," Squirrelflight said. She was in one of her "givey" moods.

"Why did I teach you a ton of stuff?" Dustpaw asked.

"You were my mentor," Squirrelflight told him.

"What leader on earth would make me your mentor if they knew how much your father and I despise each other?" Dustpaw asked.

"Oh, after you met Spiderleg's mother, you and my father got along well," Squirrelflight told him.

"Ah, well, I guess there is one thing you could tell me," Dustpaw said.

"And that would be?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Am I Leafpool's father?" Dustpaw asked.

"What do you think?" Squirrelflight asked.

"I only thought so because she looks so much like me, you know, light brown tabby, light brown tabby, it kind of fits," Dustpaw said, embarrassed.

"Well, Dustpaw, you're going to have to find out who the mother of Spiderleg is yourself, and I can't tell you who she is, but I can tell you that no, Leafpool is not your daughter," Squirrelflight told him.

"Oh, okay," Dustpaw said, broken.

"Don't worry," Squirrelflight assured him. "You love Spiderleg's mother much more than you ever did Sandpaw, and she will love you too."

Dustpaw smiled at that and continued with his patrol.

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**I hope you all liked the new chapter!**

**Ps: I got my class schedule today. Ugh… I got TWO of my seventh teachers, one for history and one for AVID. I don't mind the AVID one too much (she taught me language arts last year), but the history teacher used to always use me as an example of the "well-behaved" student, which I don't like because I hate all the attention, I'm frightfully shy in school. Besides, I think he's completely batty because I am not well-behaved at all. He should see me on a sugar high.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey, everyone. It's nice of you to drop in yet again. I've been thinking of how this story is going to go for a while, but I think I've figured it out. No, I won't give you any hints, which would spoil the fun and cause me not to have as many reviews. Anyways, as usual, I will post chapter by chapter daily until school starts and then I'll see what I can do.**

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Chapter 5

Firepaw and Squirrelflight were walking in the woods together talking, Bluestar had given the apprentices the day off so they and their parents could go to the gathering later.

"So, Squirrelflight, I was just wondering, what leader in their right mind would give a cat a warrior name like flight?" Firepaw asked.

"The answer to that might surprise you," Squirrelflight told him.

"You're not going to give me any answers, are you?" Firepaw asked his daughter.

"I might, but in order for me to be born, you needn't be shocked to death," Squirrelflight joked.

"Do I love your mother?" Firepaw asked Squirrelflight.

"Do you mean now, or in my time?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Now," Firepaw confirmed.

"I am not so sure, but in the future you go far out of your way to protect her," Squirrelflight told him.

"I wish I knew who she was," Firepaw said wistfully.

"Don't you know?" Squirrelflight asked.

"No," Firepaw said.

Squirrelflight stopped walking and turned to face him. "Think, Firepaw. Really think. Who do you suspect?"

"Spottedleaf," he admitted.

"Why?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Because I think I love her," Firepaw confessed.

"Think harder," Squirrelflight commanded. "Think about me."

A sole image popped into Firepaw's head. Sandpaw. But, could it be? She was spunky and outspoken like Squirrelflight, but he just couldn't picture it.

"Well," Squirrelflight asked.

"I can only think of one cat," Firepaw confessed. "But she can't be the right one."

"Love always finds a way," Squirrelflight smiled. "I know I felt the same about Brambleclaw at first. But eventually, circumstances that I can't mention at the moment brought us together, and we fell in love. Yeah, we fought, and we broke up for a bit, I thought I loved this other tom, but eventually love found a way."

"Are you telling me that this cat is your mother?" Firepaw asked.

"I'm telling you too keep your chin up, and your eyes open. Love will find a way," Squirrelflight told him gently.

LATER:

Leafpool had just left the medicine den after talking to Spottedleaf. She was growing quite fond of the cat and visited her often. She was planning to go to the nursery to see Frostfur and young Cinderpelt, at that point in time, Cinderkit.

On the way she met up with Dustpaw. "Hi, Leafpool," he greeted her sadly.

"Are you okay, Dustpaw? Since we came here, you've been nothing but smiles. Are you ill?" Leafpool asked, concerned.

"I was so sure, how could it not be true?" Dustpaw asked half to himself.

"You were so sure about what?" Leafpool asked, sort of already knowing.

"Squirrelflight told me that you're not my kit. Is that true?" Dustpaw asked.

"Yes, it is true, I am not yours," Leafpool told him.

"But how could we look so much alike?" Dustpaw asked.

"My father's sister is a tabby, I think I may have gotten it from her," Leafpool guessed.

"What's your father's sister's name?" Dustpaw asked.

"If I told you, you'd know who my father is," Leafpool said and continued walking toward the nursery.

"I knew it," Bluestar said, walking up to Leafpool.

"You knew what?" Leafpool asked nervously.

"I knew who your father was; ever since I first met you I had a feeling that you were his," Bluestar smirked.

"Who are you talking about?" Leafpool asked, playing dumb.

"You know very well who," Bluestar said.

"Then who is it?" Leafpool asked.

Bluestar lowered her voice, "It's Dustpaw."

"How'd you come to think that?" Leafpool asked.

"Well you look exactly like him," Bluestar said.

"But if that were true, why is my character not like either Sandpaw or Dustpaw?" Leafpool asked cleverly.

"Yes, and that is why Firepaw is your father," Bluestar said with a toothy grin.

"What makes you think that?" Leafpool asked.

"Squirrelflight acts like an exact copy of your mother, and you would need a father like him to be the way you are," Bluestar said.

"What if Squirrelflight's a half sibling?" Leafpool asked.

"So you admit it!" Bluestar exclaimed, causing cats to look over to them.

"I've let my mouth slip too much. I will now go to see my mentor," Leafpool said, heading toward the nursery.

Slipping inside the warm nursery (finally), Leafpool drank in the warm milky scent.

"Hello, Leafpool," Goldenflower said, waking up from a nap.

"Hi, Goldenflower, how are you?" Leafpool asked.

"Very good, I just have been having the worst time thinking of names for kits," Goldenflower confessed. "I was thinking, for a she-cat, I'd name her Bramblekit, and for a tom, I'd name him Tawnykit. What do you think?"

"You might want to switch that around, Goldenflower. And, if you have a she-cat, keep a very close eye on her," Leafpool advised.

"Oh, I don't think I need to worry about these kits, Tigerclaw's their father," Goldenflower boasted.

"If you say so," Leafpool said, continuing her walk toward Frostfur and her kits.

"Hi, Leafpool," Frostfur greeted softly. She had just kitted a new litter, and was quietly suckling them.

"Hey, Frostfur," Leafpool said in a hushed tone. "Are these Brakenkit and Cinderkit?"

"I hadn't thought of names, but those are great!" Frostfur exclaimed.

"Oh, but I know those are their names, they're mentored by my um, friend's father and his best friend," Leafpool told her.

"So, you are a friend to one of these?" Frostfur asked, indicating her kits.

"Well, Brakenkit is my good friend Sorreltail's mate. They have beautiful kits. And Cinderkit," Leafpool nosed Cinderkit, "was my mentor."

"She was?" Frostfur asked. "I'm honored. My daughter's a medicine cat!"

Leafpool sat down beside Frostfur and started grooming Cinderkit gently. "This little kit taught me everything I know," she murmured.

"Again, I am honored. It's a wonder a she-cat like you is related to your mother," Frostfur said, stroking Brakenkit.

"I take after my father," Leafpool told her.

"Dustpaw, right?" Frostfur asked.

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**Hey, everyone, I hope you liked the chapter. There's not much romance gaga in this one, it's more informational, but I just felt like writing it like that.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	7. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the wait, as you may know, fanfiction was down yesterday so I couldn't update. Well, here's Chapter 6! Oh, yeah, and this one has some GrayxSilver action finally, and a surprise guest! Here we go!**

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Chapter 6

That night, at the gathering, the five apprentices (I know there was actually no point in time when all the apprentices went to a gathering, but this is how I'm writing it) were waiting with their parents at the back of the ThunderClan group.

Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw were practically jumping out of their fur in all their excitement at the thought of their first gathering.

"Ironic, isn't it," Leafpool said, "that we're at our parents first gathering, but not our first gathering."

"Unless you actually go in time order," Squirrelflight reminded her, "in which case, we have not even been born yet."

"I think this is my only opportunity to get my parents together," Stormfur whispered worriedly. "Also, it's my only opportunity to meet my mother."

"Good luck, Stormfur," Leafpool said, and Squirrelflight nodded in agreement.

The ThunderClan cats ran down the side of the hollow where fourtrees stood.

"Oh, fourtrees!" Leafpool exclaimed. "How I missed you so!"

"What's her problem? She goes here once a month. Twice if you count moonstone trips," Graypaw asked.

"Well, actually-" Leafpool was cut off abruptly when Squirrelflight stuck the end of her tail in her sister's mouth and gave her a hard stare. "Actually, yes I do. I just have always been attached to it," Leafpool saved.

"Hey, Graypaw, come over here!" Stormfur called his father.

"What is it?" Graypaw asked.

"See that silver she-cat over there?" Stormfur asked, indicating Silverstream (probably Silverpaw at that point in time).

"What about her?" Graypaw asked his son.

"She's pretty; you should go talk to her," Stormfur said.

Graypaw looked at him suspiciously. "No way, she's got RiverClan scent coming off her pelt in waves, it's too dangerous."

"Okay," Stormfur said, "I'm going to go talk to her."

Stormfur walked up to the she-cat and said hello.

"Hi," the she-cat asked confused. "I'm Silverpaw, what's your name?"

"I'm Stormfur," Stormfur introduced.

"Stormfur, what a great name. It's funny; I was going to name my son that if I ever had one. But I'm not too sure if I will, these RiverClan toms only like me because my father is the leader, and want to get in a position of power," Silverpaw said.

"STORMFUR!" A voice much like Silverpaw's exclaimed, shocked. The source of the voice, another silver she-cat, walked up to Silverpaw and Stormfur.

"Feathertail!" Stormfur shouted. "I never expected you to come here!"

"Wait, what's going on?" Silverpaw asked.

"Feathertail, I can't believe you came back in time too!" Stormfur went on, ignoring his unknowing mother.

"Mother, this is Stormfur, my, um, friend," Feathertail introduced.

"Feathertail, I can't believe it's really you! I've missed you most terribly. I need to call over everyone else so they can see you," Stormfur said, sprinting off excitedly.

"I didn't know that there were more cats coming back in time, daughter. Did you know?" Silverstream asked.

"No, I didn't," Feathertail lied.

Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and Stormfur came over to meet Feathertail and Silverpaw.

"Feathertail!" Squirrelflight exclaimed when the two groups met up.

"It's been so long! I'm so glad you could come. Stormfur didn't think so because of-"

"Stop," Feathertail ordered. She walked closer to Leafpool and whispered into her ear, "Mother doesn't know that I died."

"Why not?" Leafpool whispered back.

"Well, since she bites it when Stormfur and I are born, I didn't really think it'd matter much," Feathertail whispered.

"Oh, right. Hey, Feathertail, you're not mad at me, are you?" Leafpool asked in a timid voice.

"No, Leafpool. I told him to let go. And if he were to choose any cat, I'm glad it was you," Feathertail told Leafpool.

"What about Nightcloud?" Leafpool asked.

"No, I hate her guts, and the only reason I haven't sent something to kill her yet is because she'd be up in StarClan annoying the heck out of you and I by coming into your dreams and talking about how much Crowfeather loved her more than us while I'm awake," Feathertail told her with a toothy grin.

"Well, we could go to the WindClan camp and make it to where to where her parents never met," Leafpool suggested.

"No, that's stupid," Feathertail said.

"Why?" Leafpool asked.

"Because then Crowfeather might never earn the respect he needed to get back in his Clan," Feathertail explained.

"I guess that's my fault," Leafpool confessed.

"What's going on?" Silverpaw asked, annoyed.

"Future stuff, you'll get a good view of it later, mo- Silverpaw," Stormfur said. _Watch it! _ He told himself.

"Are you okay, Stormfur?" Leafpool asked, trying desperately to get Silverpaw distracted. "You look a little feverish. Oh, hi, Graypaw."

Graypaw walked up to the five cats and meowed a greeting.

"Hi, are you Stormfur's father?" Silverpaw asked.

"Hi, Graypaw," Feathertail greeted her father.

"Whoa. You two look exactly alike," Graypaw said wide eyed. Into his son's ear he added, "She _is_ hot."

"The same can be said about you and your son," Silverpaw said. "I'm Silverpaw, by the way."

Graypaw's eyes widened at the beautiful she-cat. "I'm, um, Graypaw," he stammered.

"Dad, this is Silverpaw's daughter, Feathertail," Stormfur said.

"Hm, I swear I've heard that name before," Graypaw looked suspiciously at his son.

"Well, these cats seem to know my daughter, so I guess you've heard it from them, ThunderClanner," Silverpaw said.

The leaders got on top of the highrock and the ThunderClanners bade goodbye to the RiverClan cats and walked to their friends and parents. The news at the gathering was very usual, so the cats talked amongst themselves.

"Stormfur, I'm sure I've heard the name Feathertail mentioned before, when you first came. Are you a friend of hers, perhaps?" Graypaw asked his son.

"No, I do not recall saying anything about Feathertail, but she had come back in time like us to save her life," _and mine_ Stormfur lied. "But we are friends."

"Ah, are you sure you've never mentioned her to me?" Graypaw asked.

"Yep, I'm pretty sure. Shouldn't you be listening?" Stormfur said quickly.

"I don't care if ShadowClan has more kits," Graypaw said.

"True, but still, shut up!" Stormfur whispered.

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**I hope you all liked the chapter! I shall put up the next one tomorrow like I always do, but Wednesday I start school so I'll try to do everything I can, I love this story ad am immensely proud of it.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**

**Ps: I know you've been reading **_**Baker.**_** Chuck's window was wide open last night and mine was cracked as usual, and you were reading it so loud it would have awakened a hibernating bear from 5 miles away. I am **_**not **_**telling you who I am, and you'd never think that I'd live so near, would you? –Goes to take name off of profile-**


	8. Chapter 7

**OMG SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW WHAT A NIGHTMARE!**

**Sorry, I hate school. Especially mine, it's built for 900 students, and has 1300. That's just not right! And I have history first. With Mr. Davis. Did I mention I can't stand him? I think I'll eat a ton of sugar before school so I can have a sugar rush during class. That'll show him.**

**Here's the next chappie!**

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Chapter 7

At the end of the gathering, Feathertail walked up to Stormfur.

"Hi, Feathertail, what is it?" Stormfur asked.

"It's going to be hard to get Silverstream and Graystripe together," Feathertail whispered, "and, if, you know, we fail, I just wanted to say that I love you and I really care for you, brother."

"Me too, sister," Stormfur agreed. "I wish we would have asked Bluestar how Graystripe and Silverstream met. Then we could save ourselves."

"I think I remember a story, brother, that father told us. He said it was all because of one rambunctious apprentice. I only wish I could remember the name. I'll think it over tonight, and tomorrow, brother, will you meet me by the border?" Feathertail asked.

"That sounds like a good idea, sister, I shall meet you at sunhigh," Stormfur said.

"Until then, brother," Feathertail said, walking over to the RiverClan cats and her mother.

Stormfur looked after his sister with greed and sorrow. What made her so special that she got to spend time with their mother? He didn't even get to go in the Clan with her. Silverpaw didn't see him as her son, she saw him as the son of an enemy. He let out a sigh and walked back to camp with the ThunderClan cats.

Next morning, Stormfur awoke with his heart lifted. Here was his chance to save his life, right at sunhigh. He just hoped that Feathertail knew what they needed to know. It was just awful, Stormfur thought, that Feathertail would live again, but have to be in another Clan from her brother and father, and not even let it be known that they exist to her. What a burden! Stormfur only wished that his father and mother could have been born in the same Clan.

Stormfur was on his way out of camp when he ran into Graypaw. _Great, right when I'm meeting my sister, my father has to intrude. _

"Hey, Stormfur, where are you headed?" Graypaw asked.

"Oh, I'm off to hunt," Stormfur said quickly. "And I wanted to check something out that I never got to see."

"What would that be?" Graypaw asked.

"Oh, you always used to tell us about this place you liked to go in your early days as a warrior. It got damaged a little later and I never got to see it," Stormfur lied.

"Okay, see you later," Graypaw said, flicking his tail.

Stormfur then sprinted out of the camp without a glance behind him.

In the RiverClan camp:

"Mother, it's Feathertail," Feathertail spoke softly outside the apprentice's den.

"Feathertail," Silverpaw answered tiredly.

"Silverpaw, I need you to come with me," Feathertail stammered.

"Where? Why?" Silverpaw asked.

"You'll see, just come with me, please," Feathertail begged. It was almost sunhigh and she didn't want to be late meeting Stormfur.

"All right," Silverpaw said, getting up and giving herself a quick grooming. "I'll come with you."

Stormfur ran through the tallpines and toward sunningrocks. They were in close view now and he wanted to make it on time. He glanced up at the sky and saw that the sun was near its highest. His speed quickened.

He slowed as he left the trees, and sat quietly behind a rock to wait.

"Hi," a voice said from behind him and he turned around in shock.

"Oh, Feathertail, it's just you," Stormfur breathed. "I thought I was being followed. Are we alone?"

"Not quite," Feathertail said, and then indicated with her tail to a rock further away.

Stormfur walked ahead of Feathertail to the rock and looked behind it at Silverpaw. He turned around at his sister and exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind! This was a huge mistake, Feathertail, a huge one! What were you thinking?"

"I told her about you by name when I first came here. When you introduced yourself at the gathering, I thought that she wouldn't remember. But when we got home, she told me when she heard your name spoken. I had no choice but to tell her the truth." Feathertail explained.

"What all did you tell her?" Stormfur asked.

"I told her you were my brother. I said nothing about father, but you two are easily distinguished to each other. There was nothing else I could do." Feathertail said.

"You could have lied! I've been lying to father about the truth, sneaking around and trying to find out ways to get them together. It's not easy, you know, especially since I have an insane medicine cat spilling the truth left and right and now mother knows! You just want to make it harder on me, don't you?" Stormfur asked.

"No, Stormfur, I don't. I just thought she had the right to know," Feathertail explained.

"I'm sorry, sister. I should have known not to shout at you, especially because I haven't seen you for a while. I should have known, you're too kind to handle a situation with lying," Stormfur said gently.

"Oh, now you're saying that I can't lie? Thanks a lot, brother," Feathertail said madly.

"No, I'm just saying, you're fierce on the battlefield, but not with those you love, I'm sorry. Can we please just get on with our meeting?" Stormfur asked.

Feathertail and Stormfur turned and walked over to where Silverpaw was impatiently waiting.

"Are you two done gabbing so you could tell me what's going on?" Silverpaw asked, irritated.

"Yes, Silverpaw, we are. This is my brother, Stormfur," Feathertail introduced.

"I saw you at the gathering last night," Silverpaw said to him in a soft voice. "I would have never suspected that my blood flows through your veins."

Stormfur walked over to her and put his head on her shoulder. He took in a long breath and let it out slowly. "It's been a long time since your scent has hit my nostrils, mother."

"How has it been?" Silverpaw asked.

"Oh, I love you mother, but we need to wait on that bit of info," Stormfur said.

"But there is something I have to tell you, mother, something I have put off," Feathertail said. "I'm dead."

To be continued.

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**I hope you liked the new chapter. I will write chapter 8 today and update after school if all goes well. **

**With All due respect, Firestar's Gal**

**Ps: **_**Baker, **_**I heard you and Chuck criticizing my work through the window again. If you want me to know what you think of it, just make a fricken account and review.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Raynefyre13 – the ps thing is about this idiot neighbor who I will not mention any name past Baker who is obnoxious, loud, and goes over to Chuck, another obnoxious, loud freak every night to read fanfiction, and they have some fascination with reading my story. It's a pity, I heard them talking to each other about it yesterday, as if they didn't know! Oh, and my teachers are terrible and I can't stand them. **

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Chapter 8

"Oh, Feathertail, how come you didn't tell me earlier?" Silverpaw asked.

"I didn't think it'd matter very much," Feathertail confessed.

"How did you die? Why didn't you think it'd matter? How come you're half-Clan?" Silverpaw asked shakily.

"She died by saving all the Clans, by killing a ferocious mountain cat, and keeping the Clans and a lot of other cats safe," Stormfur said.

"I'm half-Clan because you fell in love with our father, after he fell in the River," Feathertail continued.

"You can answer the other question," Silverpaw said to the two of them.

"She meant you, Stormfur," Feathertail said, unwilling to tell her mother her dreadful fate.

"No, Feathertail, I insist, you should tell her," Stormfur invited, also unwilling.

Silver flicked her tail. "Look, if you don't want to let me know, fine, but can you please tell me why we're here?"

"Well, we were going to meet here so we could find out the name of the apprentice that got father down here," Stormfur said, shooting a look at Feathertail.

"I think we'll have to wait a little longer for that, brother," Feathertail confirmed.

"I couldn't think of the name either. I only wish we could go back to Bluestar and ask," Stormfur said sadly.

"Yeah, but you've got me now," Silverpaw said.

"What's your point?" Stormfur asked.

"Look, I want the two of you to be born, even if it means that my mate is of ThunderClan. I could help you," Silverpaw said.

Feathertail's face lit up when she realized what all they could do with Silverpaw on their side. "Brilliant! Simply brilliant! With Silverpaw, we could do practically anything!"

"So are we going to try?" Silverpaw asked, turning to Stormfur.

"You bet we are, it's good to see you mother," Stormfur agreed.

"Okay, there's not much we can do right now, I we need to get back to RiverClan before Silverpaw's mentor notices we're gone," Feathertail said to Stormfur.

"When shall we meet?" Stormfur asked.

"In three days, at sunset," Feathertail said.

"Then we can put our plan into action," Silverpaw agreed.

"Until then, mother, sister," Stormfur said, walking deeper into ThunderClan territory.

Feathertail and Silverpaw looked back at their relative before turning and walking back into RiverClan territory.

oOoOoOo

Squirrelflight was walking around the camp, thinking about Brambleclaw and her kits, Brambleclaw could have another mate if she didn't get back! She thought bitterly about all the she-cats in the ThunderClan camp back at the lake, crowded around Brambleclaw, nuzzling him and purring. Ick! Her thoughts were interrupted, when she noticed she had entered Spottedleaf's den. _It must be in my subconscious, when Leafpool and I were apprentices, I'd always go to the medicine den to see her._

"Oh, hello, Squirrelflight," Spottedleaf greeted her cheerfully upon entering the clearing.

"Hey, Spottedleaf, how are you?" Squirrelflight said.

"I'm doing fine my darling daughter," Spottedleaf said with a big grin.

"I thought Leafpool explained this to you already, Spottedleaf, I'm not your daughter," Squirrelflight said.

"Oh, but _I_ know the truth," Spottedleaf said.

"Oh?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Yes, Leafpool is saying that because, as a medicine cat, she wants to protect other medicine cats, and she knows what it's like to have a forbidden love, and a heartbreak, and wants to protect me," Spottedleaf explained.

"Where are you going with this?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Leafpool doesn't want me to fall in love because she knows it's dangerous for a medicine cat, and that she's felt like that before. But I don't need protecting. I know that you are my kit, and I don't know what she has against you, but I think she is determined to break me and your father apart," Spottedleaf explained.

"No, Spottedleaf, you're entirely wrong! I am not your kit!" Squirrelflight said in panic.

"There's no reason, my child, to say this. I know you're supposed to keep it a secret, but if I have a feeling, it's a good thing. Do you not want to exist?" Spottedleaf asked.

"Of course I want to exist! What about Brambleclaw and my kits? I need to get back as soon as possible, but in order for me to do that; MY parents need to fall in love!" Squirrelflight shouted.

"I know, dear one," Spottedleaf said. "That is why I'm making your job so much easier."

"No, Spottedleaf, you're not!" Squirrelflight exclaimed.

"You and I both know that I am," Spottedleaf said.

"Spottedleaf, do you want to know how you can help?" Squirrelflight asked, calmer.

Spottedleaf nodded eagerly.

"Do you really want to know?" Squirrelflight asked.

Spottedleaf nodded more violently.

"KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF MY FATHER!" Squirrelflight shouted and ran out of the medicine den.

"I am NOT giving up!" Spottedleaf shouted after her.

Firepaw walked up to Squirrelflight after she got a good distance from the medicine den.

"Hey, Squirrelflight, what's going on?" Firepaw asked.

"There's been a mistake in identity," Squirrelflight said.

"Yeah, Tigerclaw told me about that," Firepaw said.

"Not that, there's been a mistake about who my mother is, and now the cat who thinks she's my mother is more determined than ever," Squirrelflight said, sitting down beside Firepaw.

"Oh, I never realized. It's got to be hard for you, to come here, having just kitted and all, and now all this mess," Firepaw licked her forehead like a queen would to her kit.

"I don't know why it seems so impossible," Squirrelflight said with a sigh.

"Why what seems so impossible?" Firepaw asked.

"You and my mother being together. In your time, you two hardly exchange a glance, and if you do speak, it's just fights and insults. In my time, you are hardly seen without each other," Squirrelflight said, looking down.

"I wish I could help," Firepaw sighed.

"Just promise me you will keep your eyes open, and never say that it'd never happen," Squirrelflight said.

"Deal," Firepaw agreed, nodding his head.

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**Well, school's started, and if you're reading this, it means I'm back. I'll be able to update until I start getting tougher homework, in which case, I'll have time on the weekends to dedicate to you awesome readers. I bet you're mad my school has to start so soon!**

**Thanks to all of you who review on a daily basis, and even to those who don't. You rock!**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**

**Ps: Okay, **_**Baker, **_**the jig is up. But how'd you know? I've been pretty stealthy about it, if I do say so myself. You didn't know that **_**I **_**write, did you? I still hate your guts.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Anyways, you all know the story of my history teacher, so I'll just explain the rest: my gym teacher's a loon, my AVID teacher's not that bad, my science teacher needs to give himself a reality check, my English teacher is waaaaaaaaaaaay to perky, and my algebra teacher needs to fall down a well.**

**On with the story!**

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Chapter 9

Leafpool sat beside her mother one evening, after fresh-kill time. Sandpaw was off focus and Leafpool could tell there was something on her mind.

"Are you okay, Sandpaw?" Leafpool asked concerned.

"What? Yeah, I am. Why?" Sandpaw asked.

"I don't know. You don't seem to be paying much attention today," Leafpool said.

"Well, you heard yesterday, with Squirrelflight, her comment in the medicine den to Spottedleaf, didn't you?" Sandpaw asked.

"Sandpaw, the Tribe of Rushing Water heard her," Leafpool said.

"The tribe of who?" Sandpaw asked.

"Forget I mentioned it, it could be heard from a long way off, to put it in those terms," Leafpool explained.

Sandpaw looked at her with a confused expression on her face, and then continued talking. "Well, what Squirrelflight said has been bothering me. Does that mean Spottedleaf is not her mother? Who could it be?"

"Sandpaw, you know I can't say that to anybody in this camp, because the word would sooner or later get around to them," Leafpool said.

"Yes, I know, but could you at least tell me who your father is?" Sandpaw asked hopefully.

"But of course you know that," Leafpool laughed.

"No," Sandpaw said, confused.

"Any guesses?" Leafpool asked.

"Well, the obvious one, Dustpelt. You look exactly like him," Sandpaw said.

Leafpool looked at her with an appalled look on her face. "HOW STUPID IS THIS CLAN! IT'S SO FRICKEN OBVIOUS WHO MY FATHER IS BUT EVERYONE IS GUESSING THE WRONG ONE!" Leafpool shrieked in fury. Then she ran out of the camp.

Firepaw walked up to Sandpaw and looked after Leafpool. "Yours too?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think there's something between them," Sandpaw observed.

"What would that be?" Firepaw asked.

"I detect closeness between them, something like love," Sandpaw said.

"I think I detect something like that between two other cats, too," Firepaw said, looking deep and intently into Sandpaw's eyes.

"Who are they?" Sandpaw asked.

"Um, you and Dustpelt, of course," Firepaw said, awkwardly breaking off from her eyes.

"Is that so?" Sandpaw asked. "In which case, I detect closeness between two cats too." She gave him the same deep, intent, stare and stepping closer to him.

"Who do you think?" Firepaw asked.

"You and Spottedleaf, of course, you'd be great for each other," Sandpaw said, breaking the gaze.

"Nyah, I don't know about us. I thought, when Squirrelflight first came, that Spottedleaf would be the only cat that would ever want to have _my _kits, but now I think, personality wise, it's impossible," Firepaw confessed.

"Because she's so, not like either of you?" Sandpaw asked, not wanting to mention how much the young cat was so much like her.

"Yeah, and when she said, 'KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF MY FATHER!' to her, I kind of got a hint that Spottedleaf is not my mate," Firepaw joked.

"Exactly, and you heard what Leafpool said just now, I'm beginning to doubt Dustpelt," Sandpaw said.

"Do you have any idea who her _real _father might be?" Firepaw asked.

"No," Sandpaw confessed. "What about Squirrelflight's mother?"

Firepaw looked into Sandpaw's emerald green eyes, identical to his own. _'Think, Firepaw, really think. Think about me,' _Squirrelflight's voice rang through his head. "I have no honest idea," he said, looking away from her wondering eyes.

"Neither do I," Sandpaw said, looking down.

"Oh, look at that, time for a patrol," Firepaw said, racing off to avoid the wonders of more awkwardness.

"Time for sleep," Sandpaw said, walking off to the apprentice's den with a sigh.

"Hello, Sandpaw," Dustpelt said in the dims of the den, sitting in her nest.

"Um, hello, Dustpaw," Sandpaw said, confused.

"Are you still wondering who Leafpool's father is?" He asked.

"Yes, but I think I have a very good idea now," Sandpaw said wistfully.

"Then stop wishing," Dustpaw said, rolling over and flexing his muscles for her.

"I suddenly have the urge to go fight all the other Clans alone," Sandpaw said, turning and running out of the den as quickly as possible. Dustpaw gave chase and ran after her.

They ran by Squirrelflight and Leafpool, who were talking at the top of the ravine.

"What's that all about?" Leafpool asked.

"I don't know, but I'm sure a mistake has been made," Squirrelflight said worriedly.

"Let's chase after them," Leafpool exclaimed, getting up and running, Squirrelflight at her heels.

They came to the sandy clearing, where apprentice training was held. Sandpaw and Dustpaw were shouting at each other in the clearing, while Leafpool and Squirrelflight watched from the trees on the outside.

"I'm not your mate!" Sandpaw shouted at Dustpaw.

"Admit it! You loved me all along, and now I practically throw myself at you and you run away! What is this?" Dustpaw shouted at her.

"I never loved you and never will!" Sandpaw shouted.

"We can make this work, you know!" Dustpaw shouted at her.

"NEVER!" Sandpaw shouted at him.

Suddenly, Sandpaw lashed out a paw at Dustpaw. Then, Dustpaw slid under her and started raking at her underbelly with his hind paws. Sandpaw counterattacked and flipped over, causing them to switch positions so that she raked under his underbelly.

Squirrelflight and Leafpool glanced at each other and then jumped as one out of their hiding place. The two sisters lashed at Dustpaw's face, causing a deep gash in his nose. Then, all four cats rolled around in a giant heap, no one could tell whose legs were whose, but they continued fighting.

Eventually, the group broke apart, leaving Dustpaw on one side of the clearing, and Sandpaw, Squirrelflight and Leafpool on the other.

"So this is how it is," Dustpaw said, breathing heavily and glaring at the three she-cats.

"I guess so," Sandpaw said.

"I understand why you would help her," Dustpaw said, indicating Leafpool. "But I don't see why you would," he glared at Squirrelflight, who stood tall at the glare.

Sandpaw looked over at Squirrelflight and narrowed her eyes. "Yes, Squirrelflight, why did you help me?"

"I've noticed something about these two," Dustpaw said.

"Me too," Sandpaw said looking from one she-cat to another.

"Well, we're very close friends," Leafpool said nervously. "But Dustpaw, I thought I told you that you weren't my father."

"I thought that I knew you were lying, Dustpaw said. "But now, I think I have a clear view who the father of you two sisters is."

"Sisters?" came a voice from somewhere up above.

The four cats looked up to see Firepaw jumping down from an oak tree, and gasped in unison.

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**Ooh! A cliffie! Too bad I'm back in school, see you next weekend! MUAHAHAHA!**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey, Everyone! I hate the way I love myself for making you wait for an update. Well, you waited, and I'm sure you thought that in this chapter you'd find out what goes down between Firepaw and Sandpaw, right? WRONG! But surely, you didn't forget Stormfur, did you? This chapter is in HIS POV, and you'll have to wait until the next chappie for the FirexSand! MUAHAHAHA! Well, here we go.**

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Chapter 10

Stormfur crept to the edge of the trees and saw the sun turn from a bright yellow to a fiery orange. The sky went from light blue to lavender and Stormfur shivered in suspense. He spotted two lithe, gray shapes jump in the river on the RiverClan side, and come out on the ThunderClan side, warily looking around before making their way to the sunningrocks.

"Are you there?" said the voice of a tom.

_A tom? That can't be right! _Stormfur thought in worry.

"You asked us to meet you here, show yourself," a she-cat called.

Stormfur peeked out. Did his eyes deceive him? Was it true? It was! Mistyfoot and Stonefur were within two foxlengths of him, and they were looking for someone!

"Yes, I am here," a blue-gray cat said, coming out from behind a rock.

"Bluestar, what is so important that you _had_ to call us onto _your _territory?" Stonefur demanded.

"I have not been honest with you," Bluestar said with a sigh.

"Well, you're an enemy leader, you aren't supposed to be honest with us," Mistyfoot said.

"Yeah, what did you think? You were _supposed _to tell us, 'Mistyfoot, Stonefur, ThunderClan is planning a raid on your camp!'" Stonefur joked.

"No, not that," Bluestar said, walking a little ways off to the side and hanging her head away from the two siblings.

"Then what's so important?" Mistyfoot asked irritably.

"I… am…" Bluestar began, but then paused, unsure if she was going to go on.

"You are what?" Stonefur demanded.

"You have a surprise visitor in your camp, right? Some cat by the name of Feathertail?" Bluestar asked.

"Yes," Mistyfoot said.

"And she is from the future, right?" Bluestar asked.

"Yes," Stonefur said.

"And you know that ThunderClan has four, right?" Bluestar asked.

"Where are you going with this?" Mistyfoot asked.

"Well, one of those four hinted to me that a secret of mine would be revealed. One that I hoped never would," Bluestar explained.

"How does this concern us?" Stonefur asked.

"It does because I am your—" but Bluestar was suddenly cut off.

"MISTYFOOT, STONEFUR WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" the angry voice of Leopardfur shouted from across the river. Bluestar shrunk back behind the rock.

"We were hunting close to the border and a vole ran across. It's in a crack in this rock and it won't come out!" Mistyfoot lied to her.

"Well, get back here before a ThunderClan patrol sees you and rips you to shreds! I thought you knew better!" Leopardfur shouted back.

Mistyfoot and Stonefur obediently ran to the border and swam across the river to Leopardfur.

Stormfur watched as Bluestar watched the two walk back into the trees, hardly missing Stormfur by a couple mouselengths. Stormfur stayed perfectly still until he was sure Bluestar was gone.

"Wow, that was weird," Feathertail's voice came from behind a sunningrock right in front of him.

"Sure was," Silverpaw said. "It was really weird how Mistyfoot and Stonefur look so much like Bluestar. I wonder if they share some ancestor or something."

"Wow, that'd be weird," Feathertail commented, not mentioning to her mother that not only did they share a whole lot ancestors, Bluestar was one of Mistyfoot and Stonefur's ancestors.

"So, have we thought of anything?" Stormfur asked casually.

"I remember that Cinderpaw was the cat who got Graypaw down there, but it was the water vole that got him in," Feathertail said.

"But Cinderpaw's still a kit, we don't have that kind of time," Stormfur reported.

"Technically we do," Feathertail said. "We aren't born until after you-know-who betrays ThunderClan, and that's long after Graypaw and Silverpaw get their warrior names."

"Oh, right. How could I have forgotten that?" Stormfur asked stupidly.

"Okay, now onto more important stuff, how do you think we could get your father to fall in love with me?" Silverpaw asked.

"Do you really care if some half-Clan kits are born?" Stormfur asked.

"Well, at first no, but I've enjoyed spending time with Feathertail in RiverClan, I can't possibly give her up. Oh, I can't wait until you're born! We'll have so much fun, just like now, we'll go on hunting patrols, border patrols, and I'll teach you my secret escape route to WindClan territory across the gorge. It'll be loads of fun!" Silverpaw exclaimed excitedly.

"Conference," Feathertail said, looking her brother straight in the eye and walking a few paces away from their mother with him.

"What?" Stormfur asked.

"We have to tell her," Feathertail said.

"Why?" Stormfur asked.

"Because she has all these plans for us, she'll be so disappointed," Feathertail said with sadness in her eyes.

"But we can't crush her now! She'll be miserable. I think we should just let her figure out her fate later," Stormfur decided.

"Like when she's using her last breath to blame us!" Feathertail exclaimed.

"But if we tell her, she might not want us," Stormfur said with a sigh.

"What's the right decision?" Feathertail asked.

"Who is more important?" Stormfur asked.

"Do we tell her, or let her find out?" Feathertail asked.

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**It's YOUR decision, everybody! YOU get to vote, YOU get to chose what happens! This will continue in chapter 12. I'll try to update quicker. Sorry for the short chapter. Have you read Firestar's Quest? I love it so far! It's interesting; I'm pretty sure why Tigerstar ever existed now. If you haven't read it, shame on you! Get to the bookstore right now, do you understand me? (Don't listen to any friends who will try to convince you otherwise. It's awesome.)**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey, I am so stoked! I can't believe that I got my 100****th**** review!!!!!!!! OHMIGAWD! squ-eal! To all of you reviewers, YOU ROCK, I can't have done this without you! Meanwhile, the weekend is here and I have dedicated my time to writing a (hopefully) great chapter for all my awesome readers. I am planning a Spiderleg chapter, and possibly more, including even more time travel, and I think I'll be able to get that typed up and put on here within a week or two. I hope.**

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Chapter 11

Leafpool and Squirrelflight glanced at each other, each mirroring the other's wide-eyed fears. Had they expected both their parents to find out in one day? Definitely not.

"What's going on?" Firepaw asked, looking at each cat in turn.

"Nothing," Leafpool said nervously.

"What is all this about sisters?" Firepaw asked.

"I was just referring to my sister back in the future," Squirrelflight explained.

"And I was talking about mine," Leafpool lied.

"Yes, see, I am very good friends with her sister, and she is very good friends with mine," Squirrelflight said.

"Don't get us wrong, we're very good friends with each other, but we're better friends with the other's sisters," Leafpool continued with darty eyes.

"You have a sister, Leafpool, how come you never told me?" Sandpaw asked, dumbfounded. In her ear, she added, "I thought you were sisters."

"No, by 'you two sisters', Dustpaw meant, 'your two sisters'" Leafpool lied.

"But why would he make such a mistake?" Sandpaw asked.

"He's pretty stupid, trust me, he was my mentor," Squirrelflight added, coming up and whispering with the two.

"Hey, I meant what I said," Dustpaw whispered to the three she-cats, coming up to the group.

"But you said it wrong," Leafpool said.

"No, I didn't, I know what's going on," Dustpaw said.

"Does he look a little ill to you, Leafpool?" Squirrelflight asked her sister, creating a diversion.

"Yes, yes he does, Sandpaw, could you take him to Spottedleaf?" Leafpool asked.

"No need, she's right there," Sandpaw commented, glancing at the tortoiseshell who came up beside Firepaw.

"Squirrelflight!" Spottedleaf exclaimed, running over to the ginger she-cat.

"Hi, Spottedleaf," Squirrelflight greeted casually.

"How's my darling girl?" Spottedleaf asked, her eyes brimming with pride, covering Squirrelflight with caresses.

"I thought I explained to you, Spottedleaf, Squirrelflight is not your kit," Leafpool said casually.

"I thought I explained to you, Leafpool, that I figured out that you were just testing me, you can give up the act," Spottedleaf replied.

"But it wasn't a lie!" Squirrelflight said to her, backing out of the way of the insane medicine cat.

"Then who is your mother?" Spottedleaf demanded.

"I don't think I should discuss that," Squirrelflight said, glancing around at the other cats in the clearing.

"Who is you mother?" Spottedleaf demanded again, giving Squirrelflight a hard stare.

"I refuse to tell you," Squirrelflight said, stepping closer to Spottedleaf and looking her straight in the eye.

"Just because I'm a medicine cat, it doesn't mean that I can't fight," Spottedleaf threatened, unsheathing her claws and sliding them out onto the sand.

"Bring it on," Squirrelflight said, unsheathing her claws and baring her teeth in the beginning of a hiss.

"STOP! Why do you have to do this? Why must you fight?" Firepaw asked.

"She is not my mother," Squirrelflight said in a stone-cold voice, turning her head toward Firepaw.

While her head was turned, Spottedleaf knocked her to the side with a powerful blow from a forepaw.

"So that's how it is. You want to play hard ball, do you? It doesn't get any harder than this!" Squirrelflight screeched in fury and jumped onto the back of the medicine cat.

The fight was simply wretched, and in the end it took Firepaw and Leafpool to break the fighting she-cats apart.

Squirrelflight and Spottedleaf glared at each other, breathing heavily both from the fight and because Leafpool and Firepaw were holding them uncomfortably from the scruff.

"Tell me who she is," Spottedleaf demanded between breaths.

"I thought we discussed this already," Squirrelflight said.

"What is going on?" Firepaw asked through Squirrelflight's scruff.

"Why can't you just give up?" Squirrelflight said to Spottedleaf.

"Never," Spottedleaf said back, failing to jerk away from Leafpool's grip.

"Father, you do believe me, don't you?" Squirrelflight asked, looking up sad-eyed at her father.

"Firepaw, who loves you more than I do?" Spottedleaf asked him in a squealy dumb blonde voice.

"Father," Squirrelflight pleaded, sounding desperate.

"Firepaw," Spottedleaf tried to sound equally as desperate, but failed miserably.

"Squirrelflight, I know you're not supposed to tell me who your mother is, at all costs. I know I'm supposed to find out when I'm ready. But I think I have," he looked lovingly at Spottedleaf.

Spottedleaf batted her eyes at him and jerked away from Leafpool's loosened grip to walk over to Firepaw. He, in turn, released Squirrelflight and walked off with her.

Squirrelflight and Leafpool just stared blankly after them.

"Who loves you?" Spottedleaf said in a shmexy voice.

"My mother does!" Squirrelflight yelled.

"Yes I do," Spottedleaf winked at Firepaw.

"I am not giving up!" Squirrelflight yelled after them as the two cats walked off into the trees.

"No, I failed," Squirrelflight murmured, collapsing on the sandy ground.

Leafpool walked over to her to lie down beside her. "We failed," she whispered in her sister's ear.

"What will happen to us?" Squirrelflight asked, her eyes growing teary.

"StarClan only knows," Leafpool said.

"I'll miss you, Squirrelflight," Sandpaw said quietly, coming up from behind them.

"I'll miss you both," Dustpaw said, in a gentle tone not heard often from the prickly apprentice.

The three she-cats looked back at Dustpaw. Sandpaw had confusion in her eyes and Squirrelflight and Leafpool had fear.

oOoOoOo

Later that night, Firepaw came rushing into the camp. All the Clan was out doing one thing or another, but the elders and queens were napping, and Bluestar was in her den. The only cat in the main clearing was Sandpaw, who was keeping watch.

"Did I lose her?" Firepaw asked, rushing up to Sandpaw, out of breath.

"Lose who? Where's Spottedleaf?" Sandpaw asked.

"Spottedleaf, and I'm hoping she's somewhere far, not finding my scent trail," Firepaw replied.

"Well, the camp is not a very good place to hide!" Sandpaw said to him, muttering, "mouse-brain" under her breath.

Just then the two apprentices heard a rustling in the gorse tunnel, followed by a squeaky voice saying, "Firepaw, I know you're in there!"

"Quick, I'll show you my escape route," Sandpaw said, quickly rounding the nursery and sneaking out the back wall, just before Spottedleaf would notice.

"Thanks," Firepaw breathed.

"We'll go by the Thunderpath. That way, our scent will be disguised and she won't find us," Sandpaw said, pelting off toward the Thunderpath.

The two cats made their way toward the acrid scent of the Thunderpath, and when they came to a small clearing, they sat down and caught their breath.

"Do you think we came far enough?" Firepaw gasped, his eyes wide in fear and his flanks heaving fitfully.

"Yes, she'll lose our trail in no time. Medicine cats are never good trackers," Sandpaw said back.

"Thanks Sandpaw," Firepaw said.

"No problem. I never liked that little wench," Sandpaw replied. "No offence," she added hastily.

"None taken," Firepaw replied.

"There's just one thing I don't understand," Sandpaw said. "Why are you avoiding her?"

"Well, when I first left the clearing, time with her was okay, but then I started thinking about what went on in the clearing," Firepaw explained.

"Like what?" Sandpaw queried.

"Like how desperate my daughter looked when she spoke to me, and how she believed so strongly that Spottedleaf was not my mate, and how guilty I felt that I didn't believe her. And then I thought how Spottedleaf and I couldn't possibly have a future, nonetheless kits, without her being kicked out of the clan or have some seriously severe punishment. But also I knew how your daughter told her that she died before Squirrelflight was ever born, and I just kind of put all these things together and thought that it was possible that I made a little smidge of a mistake." Firepaw gasped at the end of his long speech.

"So then what happened?" Sandpaw asked.

"Then, I told Spottedleaf that I didn't believe her, so she attacked me, she's very violent for a medicine cat, by the way, and then I kicked her away and ran back to camp, and I knew she was fallowing me, so I ran faster, and I came into camp and ran into you and you know the rest," Firepaw said.

"Do you have any clue who Squirrelflight's _real _mother is yet?" Sandpaw asked.

"How many times are you going to ask that?" Firepaw asked her.

"I don't know, I was just thinking about how Leafpool can't possibly be Dustpaw's and my daughter without having some major issues, and I was wondering what made Squirrelflight so fiery," Sandpaw replied.

Firepaw looked deep into Sandpaw's eyes yet again, and if you know anything about what happened before, you'd guess that Sandpaw shyly looked away, and that's exactly what happened.

Then, the two cats heard rustling in the undergrowth a couple foxlengths away.

"It's her!" Firepaw whispered in a scared tone, crouching closer to the ground.

"There's no way, we're too close to the Thunderpath for a cat to pick up a scent! I can't even find my own!" Sandpaw exclaimed in shock.

"I know you're in there," Came a voice from outside.

Sandpaw and Firepaw quietly sneaked under a hazel bush from the outside and waited in fear for the medicine cat to reveal them at any given moment.

To be continued.

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**Sorry, as you may have noticed, this chapter is longer than usual, so take it or leave it. The next chapter will be about Silverpaw and Graypaw, and I am keeping a careful record of all your votes. I think in the 13****th**** or 14****th**** chapter I will do Spiderleg stuff. I was going to be cruel and put that now and make you wait, but I decided to be nice for a change.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	13. Chapter 12

_**Flamespirit- Congratulations, you are my first flamer, and I had gotten over 100 good reviews before you came on, FYI. First off, the human stuff is added in because the story would be boring without the remarks that they make, or at least that's my opinion. Secondly, I try not to call them by their warrior names, but it's hard at times because I haven't read **__**Into the Wild**__** for a while. Thirdly, the chapters that you claim do not do anything are important all the same. Fourthly, I'm trying the best I can to keep everyone as in character as I can, but I also need the story to go the way it should, so they might seem a little OOC. And as for your question on your review –cough- flame –cough- for chapter 11, the answer is yes. **_

_**And for those of you who are commanding me to update, continue, etc.: I wouldn't stop updating, it may go slow but that's just because I'm busy.**_

**Okay, thank you all for reviewing –coughexceptflamespiritcough- and I hope you **

**are satisfied with this chapter. You rock! Well, most of you anyway.**

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Chapter 12

Feathertail and Stormfur looked at each other, and silently knew what the other was thinking. They walked back over to Silverpaw, who was waiting impatiently.

"Well, if you're done with your little chat, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Silverpaw asked.

"We just needed to speak to each other," Stormfur said, looking over at Feathertail.

"Yes, and we decided that it was not important, and we're sorry to keep you waiting. Now, have you got any ideas?" Feathertail asked.

"I don't know, Feathertail, you said that we meet when he falls into the river and I save him, right?" Silverpaw asked.

"Yes," Feathertail said.

"I'm sorry, Silverpaw, hold that thought, but I need to speak to Feathertail again," Stormfur said, cutting them off.

When they were a decent distance away from her, he began speaking. "Exactly how much have you told her?"

"Just what she needs to know, but are you sure we're doing the right thing, not telling her?" Feathertail asked.

"I think," Stormfur said with a hint of unknowingness in his voice.

"It really should be up to her…" Feathertail said.

"Oh, and what will we say? 'Mother, would you rather us tell you that you died, or not?' That's ridiculous! We should just not tell her. I'd rather live with guilt for the rest of my life than not live at all. We were sent back here to SAVE our lives, for StarClan's sake!" Stormfur exclaimed.

"We could be secretive about it, like, give her the option to tell her what's going on or not," Feathertail suggested.

"But she'll definitely want to know, who wouldn't?" Stormfur asked. "What do we do then?"

"We could tell her that someone dies, but not tell her who," Feathertail suggested.

"Not a chance. She'll wonder why we're telling her, come on, a lot of cats die, Feathertail, it's not news to any cat unless someone important dies or it's them," Stormfur said.

"So, we're doing this to save our own fur, and we'll let her suffer for it? Stormfur, her blood's on our paws," Feathertail said to him.

"You're right, but I want paws for her blood to be on! I think we should wait before we do anything," Stormfur said to her.

"Why?" Feathertail asked.

"If we wait, maybe something will come to us, and we'll know what to do," Stormfur said.

"You're right. We'll wait," Feathertail agreed. Then the two siblings walked over to their mother.

"Was that the last time?" Silverpaw asked.

"Oh, StarClan no, there's still a ton of stuff that we need to discuss, and we just came over here to tell you that you can go back to camp and we'll be done chatting about the mysteries of the future tomorrow," Stormfur said sarcastically.

"You, Stormfur, are too much like father for your own good. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll end up in?" Feathertail asked.

"Speaking of father, have you seen anything of him?" Stormfur asked.

"You mean in the future?" Feathertail asked.

Stormfur nodded.

"He walks under skies explored very little by our cats. But I assure you, he has not joined us yet," Feathertail said.

"Thank you. Feathertail," Stormfur said gratefully.

"Let's get on with this already, I want a good pick of the fresh-kill pile, and I'm not going to unless I get home before moonhigh," Silverpaw complained.

"Okay, so I was thinking that maybe we could-" Stormfur broke off when they heard a rustling in the undergrowth on the ThunderClan side of sunningrocks.

"Hide!" Silverpaw said in a panicked whisper.

The three gray cats ran behind a sunningrock and huddled close together.

"Come on, Ravenpaw, catch up!" Graypaw called behind him, running out of the trees onto the sunning rocks. Ravenpaw was a foxlength or two behind.

"Can we stop and rest for a bit?" Ravenpaw asked, panting.

"Oh, okay. I'll be right down," Graypaw, who had climbed up to the highest rock, said, scrambling down.

Now, in a prefect world, he would have sat with Ravenpaw, sunned himself, caught his breath, and then joined the other two with a good run.

But of course, that didn't happen. Graypaw slid down the rock and collided straight into-DUN! DUN! DUN! - Stormfur, Feathertail, and Silverpaw! What a shock.

"Stormfur, what are you doing here with _RiverClan _cats?" he asked.

"Graypaw, I have a very good explanation for what's going on," Stormfur said, glancing nervously at the two she-cats.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Graypaw asked, in a suddenly parental tone.

"Um, well, um, Feathertail is my friend in the future, and I wanted to see her, we don't get to speak too often. She brought her mother and I wasn't told. Otherwise, I would have brought you," he lied.

"_Friend? _I doubt it. You two look to close to be friends. I think you've found yourself a little RiverClan mate," Graypaw said with a smile.

Stormfur and Feathertail looked at each other awkwardly and began gagging. "No, Graypaw, it's not like that," Stormfur said to his father.

"You don't have to lie to me Stormfur, I won't tell Bluestar. You sure can pick your she-cats well, I'll give you that," Graypaw said to his son.

"Wait a second," Silverpaw said to Graypaw, locking gazes with him. "Stormfur didn't take a mate from another Clan. I did," she said to Graypaw.

Graypaw looked around, confused. "What's going on?" he dared ask.

"I am Feathertail's mother," Silverpaw began. "But I am also—"

She was cut off when, yet again, a cat came tearing through the trees to the sunningrocks.

"Have you seen Dustpaw anywhere?" It was Spiderleg, followed by Leafpool and Squirrelflight.

"No, what are you doing here?" Graypaw asked.

"Spiderleg has something very important to tell Dustpaw," Squirrelflight explained.

"Did I hear my name?" Dustpaw called from upstream, with a patrol.

The patrol nodded to him and he took off running to the group of cats.

"What are _they_ doing here?" Dustpaw asked, pointing his tail toward the two RiverClan she-cats.

"That's not important," Leafpool urged. "Spiderleg's got something to say to you."

"I'm listening," Dustpaw said, angling his ears toward Spiderleg and facing him.

"I'm leaving," Spiderleg said to Dustpaw.

"Leaving? Why?" Dustpaw asked.

"I'm going to the future," Spiderleg said.

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**I hope you enjoyed the chapter. There. I have set up to write more Spiderleg, for all you Spiderleg fans out there. And, I will be trying out for the Water Polo team. I'm not sure if it'll work after the first few horses drown (hold for laughter or confusion). If I make the team (which I hope) It will be even harder for me to update. That's all. REVIEW OR I WILL UNLEASH MY EVIL FLYING ZEBRAS ON YOU! MUAHAHAHA! –cough- I mean, please review.**


	14. Chapter 13

**Hey, sorry for the loooooong wait. As I bet you can guess, I made the polo team! There was no practice today because one of my coaches had an interview and the other had to do… something. I forgot. So I wrote this chapter –hold for applause-. I bet you're dying to find out what happens with Sandpaw and Firepaw, aren't you? **

**Before you read this chapter, I must warn you, if you are a Spottedleaf fan or a SpottedxFire fan, do not read this. I am not liable for any upsetting I may have caused and I actually would prefer it, especially to fans of the pairing, but the cat as well. Well, without any further adieu, let's go! **

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Chapter 13

Firepaw and Sandpaw crouched close together, trembling with fear.

"I think I just saw my life pass before my eyes," Firepaw said. "It was so short!"

"I know what you mean, we're barely apprentices. I wanted to know what my warrior name would be!" Sandpaw's voice rose to a wail.

"I think I need to face her," Firepaw whispered to Sandpaw.

"No, you're so young, you'll regret it!" Sandpaw willed him to reconsider.

"Exactly, I'm young, it's just another worthless life lost, just another kit dying in leaf-bare. I can deal with life in StarClan for eternity, and I'll look after ThunderClan," Firepaw said shakily.

"But Firepaw, surely you've seen that you're wrong? With kits coming back from the future to help us along, you've got to see that there's more than the past and the present, there's the future! We may be apprentices now, but we are the future of the forest! We'll run the Clans one day, one day after the leaders die and the warriors become elders, one day after the queens are too old to bare kits, we'll take their place! And then we'll bare the next generation, and they'll bare the next, and it'll go on forever! Don't you understand? We are worth so much now, even if we are apprentices, because of what we _will_ do! And if you won't reconsider, think of Squirrelflight, do it for her," Sandpaw finished with a determined look in her eyes.

"You're right Sandpaw, Squirrelflight and her kits are important to me, and I do seriously think this deranged medicine cat could kill me, but I have to face her. If I don't face her now, she's my medicine cat, and we're in the same camp at night, just imagine what she can do to me!" Firepaw said.

"If I can't persuade you any further, I wish you the best of luck," Sandpaw said sadly.

"Wait. Sandpaw, before I go, I want you to know that," Firepaw stopped abruptly and looked down, embarrassed.

"Yes, Firepaw, you want me to know what?" Sandpaw asked, trying to hide the curiosity and thin-growing patience in her eyes.

"I want you to know that," he paused to let out a breath, "There's a thorn stuck to your pelt."

"Oh, okay," Sandpaw said, sounding crestfallen.

"Stay here, Sandpaw," Firepaw urged. "If nothing happens, it's safe to come out."

"Okay, you had better get going. Good luck," Sandpaw said, pressing her muzzle into his flank.

Firepaw got up and started walking out of the hazel bush. He glanced back at Sandpaw and saw a look of sadness in her eyes. He wondered why she looked so sad. He never saw emotion in the ginger apprentice before the kits came. Had she been sad because he might be brutally attacked by a psychotic medicine cat, or was there something else, something that she expected him to say, but he hadn't? He glanced a last time at her, but by now she had turned her head away. Did Sandpaw have _feelings_ for him?

He tried to shake the thought as he reached the edge of bushes. He tried to concentrate on his battle strategy against his crazy stalker. But, as hard as he tried, he couldn't keep out the feeling he got when Sandpaw's warm ginger pelt was pressed up against his. With a light heart, he took a deep breath and strode out into the clearing.

What met him came as a shock. He ran into an insane medicine cat all right, but not quite who he expected.

_"Yellowfang?" _Sandpaw asked, coming up from behind him.

Firepaw whirled around to meet her gaze in surprise. "What are you doing? I thought I told you to stay under the bush."

"I couldn't, I needed to see if you were safe," Sandpaw replied, anxiety in her voice.

"Who is this cat? How do you know her?" Firepaw asked. This 'Yellowfang' was thin and reeked of crow-food, so he could not distinguish which Clan she came from, if indeed she came from a Clan.

"This is Yellowfang, ShadowClan's medicine cat. I met her at my first gathering," Sandpaw told Firepaw. To Yellowfang she added, "Yellowfang, what are you doing so far away from ShadowClan?"

_ShadowClan! _Firepaw thought. If he had known that earlier, he would not have questioned her origins and ripped a good piece of fur off of her.

"I travel alone now," Yellowfang told Sandpaw. "What are you two apprentices doing out here?"

"Hiding from a deranged medicine cat," Firepaw replied.

"Why in the world would you be hiding from me? How did you know I was here?" Yellowfang asked.

"We weren't hiding from you, we were hiding from Spottedleaf. She attacked me earlier because I said I thought she was psycho. We honestly didn't know you were here, but we thought that Spottedleaf was outside the bushes," Firepaw explained.

"Spottedleaf is psycho," Yellowfang agreed. "But I can't see why you would hide from her, she's not _that _bad."

"Oh, but she is! She's _terrible_! I can't get her to leave me alone!" Firepaw exclaimed.

"And there's someone else?" Yellowfang asked, her gaze flicking from Firepaw to Sandpaw and back again.

Firepaw followed her gaze to Sandpaw and could feel warmth flushing his fur in embarrassment. "Well, I think so, but I don't know who."

"But what were you doing near us? How did you know we were in the bushes?" Sandpaw asked.

A mouse scuttled out of the bush and Firepaw killed it with a swift bite and started gnawing on it rapidly.

"I didn't know that you were there, I was talking about the mouse," Yellowfang explained.

"That explains a lot," Sandpaw said.

Firepaw looked down at his catch, and then at Yellowfang's showing ribcage. He had a guilty look in his eyes as he pawed the mouse over to Yellowfang, muttering, "finish it."

Yellowfang shot him a grateful glance and began to chow down on the fresh-kill.

Just then Firepaw realized that he had been on a hunting patrol, and he had eaten prey. He had broken the Warrior code! Would Bluestar kick him out of the Clan? No, she was fairer than that, but she wouldn't let him get away with it.

Just then the bushes rustled and Bluestar, Tigerclaw, and Spottedleaf stepped out.

"What do we have here?" Tigerclaw asked, stalking around the ShadowClan rogue, as if looking for a place to attack.

"Peace, Tigerclaw," Bluestar ordered. "Yellowfang, what are you doing on ThunderClan territory?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She asked, taking a ravenous bite out of her mouse.

"It looks like you're stealing ThunderClan prey; do you not have enough in ShadowClan?" Bluestar asked.

"Do I really have to explain this again?" Yellowfang asked, looking at Firepaw and Sandpaw, annoyed.

Bluestar looked at the two apprentices. "Impressive," she mewed, "you fought her without getting or giving any scratches."

"Well, we didn't exactly _fight _her. I saw her, and Sandpaw recognized her, so I thought she was okay. Plus, Sandpaw says she's a medicine cat. StarClan wouldn't easily forgive a cat for laying a claw on a medicine cat," Firepaw explained.

"Yes," Bluestar said, giving him a stern look. "And they wouldn't easily forgive a cat for eating on a hunting patrol."

"But he forgot!" Sandpaw objected. "He had a lot on his mind, you could hardly blame him."

"_He _had a lot on his mind? I can hardly believe a _kittypet _could have a lot on his mind," Tigerclaw sneered.

Spottedleaf jabbed Tigerclaw in the side with a sheathed forepaw. "How dare you make judgments on Firepaw based on his birth?" She walked over to Firepaw, giving him a lick on the cheek. It didn't give Firepaw the same warm feeling he got when Sandpaw did it. He stepped closer to Sandpaw, avoiding the confused gazes of Bluestar and Tigerclaw, rested on him and Spottedleaf.

"She scares me," Firepaw whimpered under his breath to Sandpaw.

"Tigerclaw," Bluestar ordered. "Take Yellowfang back to camp." She rested a chilling gaze on Firepaw. "I'll think of a punishment for you later." Then she turned and followed Tigerclaw back to camp.

After they left, Sandpaw rested her tail on Firepaw's shoulders. Not to be outdone, Spottedleaf did the same.

"Don't worry, Firepaw," Sandpaw murmured. "Bluestar's fair. She won't do anything severe."

"Yeah," Spottedleaf said, batting her ridiculously long eyelashes at him. Firepaw peered closer and he realized that she had black fur stuck to her actual eyelashes with some sticky herb he couldn't name. Then he recalled the patch of fur missing from Darkstripe's pelt. Firepaw had to suppress a _mrrow_ of laughter at her feeble attempt to beautify herself.

Sandpaw noticed this to, but instead of being amused, she was annoyed. _How fake! Doing that just to get Firepaw's attention; how far is she willing to go to attract a kittypet? He doesn't even _love _her!_

Sandpaw bent her head to give Firepaw a lick on the cheek, and Spottedleaf did the same. Tension cracked like lightening between the two she-cats as they brought their warm tongues over his face. Firepaw's pelt was hot with embarrassment, and he shuffled his paws to hide it.

Sandpaw brought her head up and she whispered into his ear. "Firepaw, I need to talk to you."

Firepaw nodded and turned to face Spottedleaf. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I need to speak with Sandpaw for a second. Do you mind waiting?"

"No, not at all," was her reply. "Just don't take too long."

Firepaw and Sandpaw walked out of range and put some thorn branches in between them and her.

"Don't you know what's going on?" Sandpaw asked once they were out of range.

"Know what?" Firepaw asked innocently.

"Oh, come _on, _Firepaw. I know you know what happened in the clearing over there, why didn't you do something?" Sandpaw demanded.

"Well, I… I…, I couldn't think of anything to say, so I didn't say anything," Firepaw stammered.

"You could have just told one of us to shove off," Sandpaw snapped back. "But if you're not sure, then I don't need to be told."

"Sandpaw," Firepaw sighed, sitting down. "You know that I fear Spottedleaf, but why would I need to kick one of you out of my life? You're both good friends, even if you're prickly, and she's insane, you're still great cats."

The word 'friends' struck Sandpaw. She didn't know whether to be happy that Firepaw liked her enough to be friends, because before the kits came she wasn't even worthy of that to him; or upset because he _only _wanted to be friends with her.

"Don't you know that Spottedleaf wants to be more than friends with you?" Sandpaw looked him straight in the eye.

"Well, yes, but why does everything have to be so complicated already? I'm only an apprentice. I'm not ready for that, even if my daughter came back in time and tells me to find her mother," Firepaw said, meeting her gaze.

"Same here," Sandpaw half-lied. "I just wish we had gotten more time, or at least warrior names. This has taken a lot off of my training, besides, how can someone be ready for this so early?"

"I don't know, but I wish I did. Clan life is hard already, without trying to save the lives of a cat I've never met, coming back in time and telling me that I'm her father. It's a lot to keep track of," Firepaw tore at the grass with his claws.

Guilt swept through Sandpaw. She realized how not being Clanborn could make this harder on him. He already had to prove himself to the Clan as a good warrior, and now a good father? She blinked at him in round-eyed sympathy, and nodded at him sadly.

Just then, they heard the thorn bush tremble, parting to reveal Spottedleaf.

"Firepaw, I think you need to make a choice," she said.

"What do I have to choose?" Firepaw asked.

"You have to choose between me and," she cast a glance over at Sandpaw, _"her."_

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**I hope you liked this extra-long chapter. I'm really hoping that it will somewhat make up for my not updating last week. It's not much of a cliffie, but that was to give you a break. I think I shall write the Spiderleg chapter next. Not sure. Review or face the wrath of THE AMAZING LEAGUE OF EVIL FLYING AFRICAN MAMALS!**


	15. Chapter 14

_**To all Spottedleaf fans (Amberstar and Fanned Chocolate in particular)- I warned you last chapter, if you weren't too ignorant to read my author's note, that you shouldn't read it unless you wanted to get disturbed and/or send me a bad review, which I resent. And Amberstar, what you said about Spottedleaf surpassing Sandstorm in both personality and looks is strictly a matter of opinion and I happen to think that Sandstorm is far prettier and she has a better personality later on. If you have anything to say about that, hit me with all you got.**_

**Chapter 14 is up and ready to go! You reviewers are amazing! Yeah, there was the odd flame here and there (but like 4 out of 170-something isn't bad) but all in all you rock! Your reviews are so great and I can't help but lol at them. Keep it up! Here's the Spiderleg chapter! (Spiderleg, Spiderleg, does whatever a kitty – cat does. Can he swing from a limb? No he can't, he's a cat. Look out! He is a warrior! That's just a little spin-off of Spiderpig I made honoring Spiderleg, 'cause he's flippin' awesome.)**

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Chapter 14

"Why in the world would you go back? As far as I know, I don't even know your mother," Dustpaw looked over at Squirrelflight and Leafpool. "Do you know?"

Squirrelflight and Leafpool shook their heads. "Spiderleg wouldn't tell us anything until he spoke to you," Leafpool said.

Dustpaw angled his eyes back to Spiderleg and asked, "Are you willing to explain now?"

Spiderleg looked down and shuffled his paws on the cold rock. "Well, I had a dream last night when future Bluestar came to me and told me that she had sent me back in time to far, and that she'd need to bring me forward a little, just to meet up with the time. She says that Birchfall is there waiting for me, and so is mother. I leave soon, but I will meet you again in the future."

Dustpelt looked at Spiderleg in confusion. "Who's Birchfall?" he asked.

"Birchfall is my brother, he's from a younger litter," Spiderleg explained.

"Oh, Spiderleg, why didn't you tell us before? We'll miss you," Squirrelflight touched her muzzle to his in a friendly way.

"I didn't have time to explain it three times," Spiderleg explained. Looking at the other cats' confused expressions, he added, "I need to explain to Bluestar too, and I leave at moonhigh, and I think Bluestar has the right to know why I'm gone."

"But moonhigh's nearly here!" Squirrelflight gasped.

"Yeah, we should all go for a hunt, besides, who knows when we'll meet again?" Leafpool suggested.

"Yeah, good idea Leafpool," Dustpaw added.

"Let's go right after I tell Bluestar," Spiderleg said, and the four cats sprinted off into the bushes, toward the ThunderClan camp.

oOoOoOo

Later that night, Spiderleg, Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and Dustpaw were lying out on sunningrocks, their bellies comfortably full. They gazed up at the moon, which was nearing its high point.

Spiderleg got up. "It's almost time," he murmured, eyes brimming with sorrow. "I'll see you, but I don't know when. Dustpaw, I'll see you when you're a young warrior; but Leafpool and Squirrelflight, I won't probably see you until we get back to our own time."

Squirrelflight and Leafpool went over to him and nuzzled him, licking him all over his head as a sweet farewell. They wished their friend didn't have to go, but they knew that he was sent back to far, and felt sorry that his mother was so much younger than his father.

Spiderleg looked up at the almost-full moon again, which was now moving closer to its highest point. "Time to go," he said, taking in a deep breath.

"Goodbye, friend," Squirrelflight said.

"I guess I'll see you around, but I hope for you that you're gone by the time I get there," Spiderleg said. With another glance back up at the sky, he vanished.

oOoOoOo

"Welcome, Spiderleg," Bluestar's voice sounded all around Spiderleg with an echoey sound.

Spiderleg dipped his head in greeting to Bluestar. "Hello, Bluestar."

"Are you ready?" Bluestar asked.

Spiderleg nodded.

"All right," Bluestar mewed. "Just take the path the opposite way you came, and it's been set to where you can just keep going forward until the path ends."

"How can you do that?" Spiderleg asked.

"I guess that's just one of the perks of being dead," Bluestar replied.

Spiderleg pricked his ears, rolled his eyes, and walked down the starry path yet again.

oOoOoOo

Spiderleg leapt out of the portal before him, and ended up, for a second time, in Bluestar's den.

Bluestar immediately rose, arched her back, and bared her teeth in a hiss. "Who goes there? Is Tigerclaw coming to attack me again? Oh, StarClan, no! Why? Why me? Fireheart, help, come here quickly!" she screeched.

Fireheart came into Bluestar's den and skidded to a halt before his leader. "What is it, Bluestar?"

Spiderleg could see Bluestar's eye's flashing all around the den. "Fireheart, save me, please! Tigerclaw's back and he wants to attack me and take over the Clan!"

Fireheart put his tail on Bluestar's shoulders and said, "It's okay, Bluestar, it isn't Tigerclaw. It's just Spiderleg." Turning to Spiderleg, he added, "I didn't expect you to take this long to come back; your mother must be a lot younger than your father."

"Yes, she is," Spiderleg replied. "Speaking of which, how is Sandstorm?"

"Who is Sandstorm?" Fireheart asked.

Spiderleg gaped. Fireheart didn't know who Sandstorm was! Did that mean that Leafpool and Squirrelflight failed? Or had she taken a different warrior name?

"Remember? When I was here, Sandpaw, the apprentice? She did earn her warrior name, of course, right?" Spiderleg asked, worried for his friends.

Fireheart put his head down and his eyes shone with grief for a moment. "Sandpaw joined StarClan many moons ago, and then after that, my daughter vanished, as well as hers."

"Can you tell me anything about how she died?" Spiderleg thought that maybe he could do something to save his friends if he knew details.

"I can't, but Spottedleaf can," Fireheart told him. "She was with Sandpaw on the night she died."

Spiderleg gaped again. Spottedleaf was _alive? _This wasn't supposed to happen! With a respectful nod to the old ThunderClan leader and the one he knew, he ran out of the den and headed toward Spottedleaf's den.

When he neared the medicine den, Spiderleg suddenly remembered that Spottedleaf would not like to be interrupted unless he had a reason to be there. Deciding that he would lie about having a bellyache (for he kind of liked the taste of watermint), Spiderleg walked through the fern tunnel to meet Spottedleaf.

"Hey, Spottedleaf, are you busy?" Spiderleg asked the medicine cat, coming to the end of the tunnel.

Spottedleaf looked up from some bright scarlet berries, which she had just patted into a neat pile. "I am unless you're sick or injured," she replied.

"I just have a bit of a bellyache," Spiderleg lied. "I was wondering if you could give me some watermint."

"Sure thing," Spottedleaf replied sweetly, heading into the cleft in the rock that made her den, stepping onto one of the red berries as she did. Spottedleaf then sat down and went to lick the squished berry off her paw, then paused as if she had remembered something and wiped her paw on a piece of moss. Then she slipped into the cleft in pursuit of the watermint.

When Spottedleaf returned to the clearing, she replied, "I'm out, I've been treating Willowpelt's bellyache, and I forgot to restock. Would you like to come with me?"

Spiderleg was about to pass on the offer, as an effort to pretend he was actually sick, but then realized that this was the moment he needed to ask Spottedleaf about Sandpaw's untimely death.

When the got to the border with RiverClan, Spottedleaf sat down on the riverbank and began to gnaw at some watermint stems.

"Spottedleaf, I have a question for you," Spiderleg said.

Spottedleaf looked up. "Go on," she instructed.

"I was wondering how Sandpaw died," Spiderleg said.

"Sandpaw died many moons ago, and StarClan received her honorably," Spottedleaf replied.

"That isn't what I was looking for," Spiderleg replied. "_How _did she die?"

"She was killed on the night when ShadowClan attacked our camp, when Brokenstar was still in leadership," Spottedleaf replied.

"Who killed her?" Spiderleg asked.

"I can't tell you that," Spottedleaf replied.

"But you were with her! Fireheart said so! You _must _know!" Spiderleg exclaimed.

"Okay, then. I _won't _tell you who killed her," Spottedleaf replied.

"Is there anything you can tell me?" Spiderleg pressed.

"The same cat killed Yellowfang, and it happened in the medicine den," Spottedleaf said, looking back down at her watermint and biting off another stem.

Spiderleg closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on what he knew. He knew that Spottedleaf was with Sandpaw when she died, but wouldn't tell him who killed her. He knew that Yellowfang had the same killer. He knew that it happened in the medicine den. Was there anything here?

Suddenly an image crossed his mind of Spottedleaf stepping in that bright scarlet berry and then wiping off her pad instead of licking it. Realization pricked at his fur, and sudden anger toward the medicine cat sparked. Those were yew berries! This meant only one thing:

Spottedleaf _killed _Sandpaw, and she had to be stopped!

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**Did you like the chapter? If you are a Spottedleaf fan and therefore are angry at me, you can live with it, or you can stop reading my story, because it is too good for you anyway. Flame me all you like, but that will prove nothing, except that you are immature enough to go looking for trouble, which I will happily give.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	16. Chapter 15

**Hey, everybody! I'm here to update! If you didn't read last chapter because you don't like Spiderleg, or just don't want to read DustxFern, GO BACK AND READ IT NOW! It's very important and will lead to more FirexSand, and Spotted vs. Sand, and a very important event is revealed in that chapter and you're going to have to start reading EVERY chapter (to those of you who aren't because of hatred toward a certain pairing) from now on, because they will begin to mix a lot. Okay, here's where we left off in chapter 13, so here we go! (Ps: Also read ****A Day in the Life of No Regrets****, which I just started. It's like a whole bunch of oneshots, or it's going to be, anyway.)**

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Chapter 15

Sandpaw shot a glare at Spottedleaf. "Firepaw, remember, this is the same Spottedleaf that was going to kill you if you didn't decide to be her mate. Don't make that same mistake again."

Firepaw whirled on her. "And what do _you_ want me to choose!" He exclaimed, fury shooting through him. He couldn't explain why he was acting this way, even to himself, but he was frustrated because he felt like his choice was right under his nose, and he just couldn't find it.

"I want you to choose whatever makes you stop being this way!" Sandpaw shot back.

"I think angry Firepaw is hot," Spottedleaf put in.

"Firepaw's smarter than that!" Sandpaw shouted at her.

"How do you know anything about me? Last I checked you hated me!" Firepaw burst back at her, his eyes filling with tears he would never let out.

"Fine, I will again! Take your medicine cat and go! Just stop doing this to me!" Sandpaw exclaimed.

"What am I doing to you? What did I ever do wrong? You hated me since day one! You hated me before you ever got to know me! I hate cats like that!" Firepaw sent her a death glare.

"Firepaw," Spottedleaf began.

"Stay out of this!" Firepaw replied. To Sandpaw, he said, "Well?"

"Stop confusing me!" Sandpaw screeched. "You made me feel this way and messed up my life! But now I don't care. I hope you're happy together. I'm going back to Dustpaw!" A single tear fell from Sandpaw's eye as she ran deeper into ThunderClan territory.

Firepaw stared numbly after Sandpaw. "What have I done?" he said under his breath.

"Whew," Spottedleaf sighed in relief. "It's good to be alone, isn't Firepaw?" she asked.

Firepaw acted as if he didn't hear her. "Do you know what a huge mistake I just made?" he rounded on her, looking hurt.

"I'll say. But I'm willing to give you a second chance, if you'll take it," Spottedleaf said, rubbing her muzzle with his.

Firepaw stepped backwards a few paces and looked at her in disgust. "Well, Spottedleaf, I won't take it. I don't want anything to do with you anymore!" Then he turned and ran after Sandpaw.

Firepaw didn't run long when he found Sandpaw's scent beside a bush on the top of the ravine to the ThunderClan camp. He knew that she was in it, guessing that she did not want to go back to the camp just yet. Listening intentionally, Firepaw knew that she was alone, and _sobbing, _but not loud enough to hear from a few paces away.

"Hey, Firepaw, what are you doing?" Graypaw walked up to Firepaw and greeted him with a flick of his tail.

"Shh! Listen!" Firepaw whispered to Graypaw and put his head closer to the bush. Graypaw did the same.

After a few seconds, Graypaw lifted his head and asked, "Who is that? She sounds upset."

"That's Sandpaw," Firepaw replied.

"Do you know why she's crying in a bush?" Graypaw asked.

"Well, that's something you don't hear every day," the two apprentices whirled around to see Whitestorm walking up behind them. He put his head to the bush for a few seconds, lifted it and asked, "Who is that?"

"It's Sandpaw," Firepaw replied.

"What did you do to her?" Whitestorm asked.

"Why do you assume it was me?" Firepaw asked.

"Was it?" Graypaw chimed in.

"Well, yes, no, I think, maybe it was. But I didn't know!" Firepaw stammered.

"Didn't know what?" Whitestorm and Graypaw asked in unison.

Firepaw brought his voice down even lower and the three toms put their heads in close. "I think she has feelings for me."

Whitestorm and Graypaw looked at each other, their skin turning bright red under their pelts. Their teeth clamped shut and they tried desperately not to laugh. But they couldn't help it.

Graypaw rolled onto his back and stuck his limbs straight up in the air, rolling around in his laughing fit. Whitestorm joined him and together they scared off all the prey from there to highstones.

"It's not funny!" Firepaw shouted, his pelt growing hot with embarrassment.

"Yes it is!" Graypaw managed to say between hysterical laughs.

"Stop it! It's not like I have any feelings for her!" Firepaw exclaimed. He thought he had told the truth, but right when he said it, he wondered if he did, somewhere, deep, deep down, in the murky depths of his heart, where even StarClan couldn't see.

Then the bush rustled and Sandpaw stepped out. Graypaw and Whitestorm stopped laughing at once and sat back up. Sandpaw shot death glares at the two of them. Then she turned on Firepaw, giving him a look of half anger, half unbearable sorrow. Firepaw couldn't stand to see her this way, unsure of whether she was going to cry again or claw him severely.

Sandpaw cast a chilling glance at each cat in turn, penetrating them like blades of ice. "I heard you," She simply said.

"All of it?" Firepaw asked, knowing that if she had heard _everything_, it'd be even harder to kindle anything but hatred (or neutrality at best) with her.

"Yes, Firepaw, _all _of it," Sandpaw replied, her gaze hardening even more.

"Sandpaw, I can explain," Firepaw began.

"Don't waste your breath. I understand that's how you really feel," She looked at Whitestorm, a look of pure hatred in her eyes. "And don't think I didn't hear _you._ Thanks a lot, mentor!" Then she ran off towards who-knows-where.

Firepaw turned an angry glare to the elder warrior and his best friend. "Do you know what you've just done?" he asked, measuring every word.

Whitestorm and Graypaw looked at each other. "He was serious," Graypaw said in quiet shock to Whitestorm.

"Of course I was serious! Do you know how long it will take me to get back on her good side! She'll never believe anything I say ever again! It's all ruined!" Firepaw collapsed on the ground, trying not to wet the dirt with tears.

"At least he's closer to finding his mate than I am," Graypaw whispered to Whitestorm, too quiet for Firepaw to hear.

"No, Graypaw, I think no cat could possibly be farther away he is right now," Whitestorm replied, casting a glance to Firepaw.

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**Did you like the chapter? Not much of a cliffie, but I guess it'll do, right? Well, I'm not so sure, but you can decide. I'll continue where I left off last chapter next. Read and Review. And if you like Spottedleaf, I'm sure you're glad that Firepaw did not choose Sandpaw, but I'm sure you're not happy about the Spottedleaf-actually-being-a-murderer thing from last chapter too. And let's not forget, if you hate the way that I'm making Spottedleaf act, or SpottedxFire not go over well, you can take that up in a review, which, as I said last chapter, will only prove that you are immature enough to go looking for trouble, which I will happily provide.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**

**Ps: If you have one of these nifty pen names like mine, join the Amazing League of Warriors Fangirls. **


	17. Chapter 16

**Hey, everyone! If you don't hate Spottedleaf by now, especially after what Spiderleg realized, you're a monster. I will continue that now. Okay, I seriously haven't read very many good random fics for a while and a writer's got to read too! So I suggest that you get going on those. I read one really great one today, though, it was called ****ThunderClan at the Mall**** and it was written by ****wolf with panther eyes**** and I highly suggest you read it. And I will suggest any good random fics to my readers at the beginning of chapters, so write some so you can get mentioned! Oh, and btw, random fics inspire me to update, so write some so I'll update sooner! And also, if you've read or written any good ones, please tell me the title and the author or something in a review. Here's the new chapter!**

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Chapter 16

Back in the camp, Spiderleg was sitting near the gorse tunnel, waiting for his father to come back from a patrol. He was so intent on the tunnel that he didn't notice the sound of pawsteps behind him.

"Hi, Spiderleg is it?" a soft, young voice asked him.

Spiderleg turned his head to see a small, pale gray flecked apprentice asked in a soft voice, sitting beside him.

"Hello," Spiderleg replied.

"I'm Fernpaw," the apprentice said. "I hear you're Dustpelt's son?"

"Yes, I am," Spiderleg replied, flicking her ear with his tail affectionately.

Fernpaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably, and then looked back up at him. "Do you know a lot about the future?" she asked, her eyes shining.

"Yes, I'm from there," Spiderleg replied.

"I heard about you from my mother when I was a little kit. Is it true that Bluestar herself sent you back in time to get your parents together?" Fernpaw asked.

"It really is," Spiderleg smiled at her.

"How come you came forward in time to here?" Fernpaw's eyes were round with confusion.

"My mother is a lot younger than my father, so I was sent to when she was alive," Spiderleg replied, looking at her wide-eyed gaze.

"Wow, that's amazing. Who is your mother?" Fernpaw questioned.

"Well I can't tell you that!" Spiderleg said in shock.

"Why not?" an innocent look swept across Fernpaw's face.

"Because it's not the right time," He said gently, flicking his tail in dismissal.

Fernpaw looked downcast as she began to walk away, head down.

"I promise I'll tell you a story about the future later!" Spiderleg called to her.

Fernpaw looked back, her tail curled up and her eyed glazed with excitement. "That'd be great! I'll go tell the other apprentices!" she exclaimed, scampering off.

Spiderleg got up and began walking around the camp, looking in on cats he never met. Then, from the warriors den, came the sound of voices. He hid himself in the shadows to eavesdrop on them.

"Hi Fireheart," a dark gray she-cat with brilliant blue eyes said to Fireheart in a voice filled with longing. It took Spiderleg a few moments to realize that this she-cat was Cinderpelt, because she had no limp or cripple. "Do you want to go hunting with me?"

Fireheart flicked his tail dismissively at her. "Cinderpelt, how many times have I told you that I don't want anything to do with she-cats ever again?"

"But Fireheart, that was a long time ago! She's gone, and that's that. Please?" Cinderpelt begged.

"No, Cinderpelt," Fireheart's eyes brimmed with sorrow. "I let her go, and I won't do that again!"

"But I love you!" Cinderpelt's voice grew desperate.

"Can't you just move on?" Fireheart's voice grew hard, and he looked down at her like a new apprentice.

"Can't you?" Cinderpelt lashed her tail and she stalked away from him, her neck fur rising in anger. She turned and walked straight into Spiderleg.

"You're Spiderleg, aren't you?" Cinderpelt asked casually, and Spiderleg guessed that she didn't know he was spying on her.

"Cinderpelt, you're not crippled!" Spiderleg couldn't keep in his shock any longer.

"And you're not blind," Cinderpelt replied. "What's your point?"

"Never mind that. Do you know anything about Sandpaw's death?" Spiderleg asked her.

Cinderpelt's eyes grew wide with shock. "So I guess you were listening to me and Fireheart?"

"I didn't know," Spiderleg began.

Cinderpelt put her tail in front of his mouth for silence. "Sandpaw is the reason Fireheart won't talk to me anymore… except for what you just saw. He works hard on his duties as deputy to keep his mind off of her, but he's depressed, no cat can deny that."

"But why you?" Spiderleg asked.

"I got a fondness for him after my apprenticeship, and I wanted him to feel better, but every time I get near him, he's crying over his lost kit and _her_," Cinderpelt replied with a look of disgust on her face.

"What do you know about her death?" Spiderleg asked.

"I was watching the whole time," Cinderpelt began. "I was still a kit when it happened, and I was walking into Spottedleaf's den to get her because my brother and sister were taken and Frostfur was distressed. But then I saw Sandpaw in a mossy nest and Spottedleaf beside her, and I watched what she did."

"What'd she do?" Spiderleg asked, thinking that he had a good guess.

"She took some berries and popped them into Sandpaw's mouth. I thought they would heal Sandpaw, but earlier that day she had seemed fine. I wondered why Spottedleaf would give a well cat herbs when I saw Sandpaw go limp and lay still. I knew she was dead. I told Spottedleaf that I was going to tell Bluestar and have her banished from the Clan, but then Yellowfang came in and Spottedleaf killed her too. Then I knew that without Yellowfang, there would be no medicine cat in the Clan so I couldn't tell Bluestar. It was better for the Clan in the long run, she never killed any other cat," Cinderpelt said.

Spiderleg suppressed a gasp. "That's terrible!" _but not surprising. _"Is there anything else?"

Cinderpelt looked at him. "Actually, I think Ashfur thinks that if Fireheart were a she-cat-" she was cut off when she heard Frostfur's voice calling her from the nursery.

"Cinderpelt, are you sure you don't want to be a medicine cat?" Frostfur pleaded.

"No mother!" Cinderpelt replied. Looking back at Spiderleg she said, "She wants me to be a medicine cat. Sandpaw's kit told her that I was her mentor after I was first born. Now mother won't stop begging me to be a medicine cat, which I really don't want to be!" she let out a wail of distress. "I gotta go," she said, rushing across the clearing and through the thorn tunnel.

Spiderleg looked up at the sky, where the first stars of Silverpelt were appearing. "StarClan, Bluestar, please, _please _tell me what I can do to fix this."

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**Okay, I'm getting really bad a cliffies these days. But I guess that's better for you guys. Remember what I said about random fics; I gotta have my random fics! So **_**please **_**write some or suggest some to me, it'd be great! I played polo against Clark today. Their point was evil. Her name was Monica. I think its short for Demonica, which is long for demon. She's a brick wall, and a mean one at that! She almost drowned me and I'm still coughing up chlorine! Oh, and I will be going up to Shaver Lake this weekend, so I have updated early. I expect to see many reviews when I get back! **

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**

**Ps: You disappointed me with the amount of reviews for the last chapter. Come on, only 16! I thought I was doing well these days! REVIEW! And I mean it!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hey people, other than the fact that I goofed last chapter and called Ashpaw Ashfur but I meant Ashpaw, I don't have much to say now, so I'll just go on ahead to the chapter, which will be where we left off on Chapter 15.**

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Chapter 17

"Firepaw, I'm sorry, we didn't know," Graypaw walked up to his friend and put his tail gently on his shoulder.

Eyes fixed on the ground, Firepaw didn't respond.

"Firepaw, we are really sorry," Whitestorm came up beside Graypaw.

Firepaw closed his eyes and breathed slowly. Then he spoke so low that Whitestorm and Graypaw couldn't hear, so they leaned in to hear what he said.

"She'll never love me. She'll never love me and now I'm doomed to be stuck with a crazy medicine cat forever. Oh, StarClan, why?" Firepaw murmured, sitting up but keeping his eyes fixed on the ground between his paws.

"Oh, Firepaw, I didn't realized how much this has affected you," Graypaw said with sadness deep in his amber eyes.

"I'll go talk to her, maybe I can get her to realize a little more," Whitestorm said quietly to him.

Firepaw lashed his tail in Whitestorm's path before he was able to leave where Sandpaw had. "No, this is my fault, this is my responsibility. I'll go talk to her," he said, keeping his voice low and his eyes downcast.

"But—" Whitestorm began.

"No," Graypaw said. "Firepaw is right. Neither you nor anyone else can fight this battle for him."

"When did you become so wise?" Whitestorm asked.

"I'm what now?" Graypaw asked, turning around in a circle once as if he was growing aware of himself.

"Never mind, go on, Firepaw, the longer you hesitate, the worse she'll think of you," Whitestorm lashed his tail in impatience.

Firepaw looked up at the older warrior, respect and trust flickered in his eyes as he turned and ran along Sandpaw's scent trail.

Her scent led him down the ravine and into camp this time, and then straight to the nursery. Firepaw guessed that Sandpaw would like to talk to the queens, and though he never pictured her one herself, she'd have to have been, on account of the fact that she had a daughter, and possibly more kits too.

"… I didn't know how he really felt about me, and I don't know why he couldn't just come out and say what he needed to say, but it confused me a lot and now I don't know what to do!" Sandpaw's voice sounded from the nursery, as Firepaw sat beside the back wall and listened in intently.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Frostfur exclaimed.

"Typical tom," Speckletail snorted. "They never say what needs to be said. Do you know that my mate didn't tell me he loved me until I ended up in the nursery? He said that it should have been 'implied.'"

"Don't worry, he'll tell you eventually. Firepaw's a great cat, not much like Speckletail's choice," Goldenflower added with a glare a Speckletail.

"Your mate sounds like mine," Brindleface sniffed. "I already noticed him looking at Willowpelt, and my kits haven't even been born yet!"

"He's not my mate!" Sandpaw exclaimed in shock.

"Okay, okay, he isn't your mate, whatever," Speckletail said with an eye roll.

Then Frostfur murmured, "Go on, Sandpaw."

"I thought maybe he might feel the same way, but then I heard him speaking to Whitestorm and Graypaw just now, and he told them I had feelings for him. That's private, isn't it?" Sandpaw continued.

"It is," Frostfur murmured, sadness filling her voice.

"And then the two of them laughed! They knew I was there, but they still laughed! Can you believe that? My own mentor!" Sandpaw's voice rose to a wail.

"Oh," Goldenflower breathed.

"That's not even the worst part. After that, Firepaw said he didn't feel anything for me!" Sandpaw went on.

"Oh, but you must know that he was just saying that so he won't be embarrassed in front of his friends, he didn't really mean that," Brindleface said.

"Again, typical tom, they're all like that, sweetie, and they'll never change for any she-cat," Speckletail put in.

"But I was right there! He must have known what he was saying! But why did he say it?" Sandpaw cried.

"He didn't know any better. You're just apprentices, and I can't believe how terrible StarClan was to send back kits and further complicate your lives. It's hard enough being an apprentice without a love life, trust me," Goldenflower said.

Sandpaw then murmured something Firepaw couldn't hear, and then the queens all purred and murmured encouragement to her.

"What are you doing back here?" Firepaw whirled around at the sound of a voice behind him.

"Oh, Whitestorm, it's only you. I was listening in on Sandpaw's conversation with the queens," Firepaw admitted.

"What are you doing out here? You should be in there, apologizing to Sandpaw," Whitestorm snapped at him.

"Well I can't just go in there! What do I say? What do I do? Besides, I'll need to make up an excuse to be in there," Firepaw panicked.

"Get them some fresh-kill, say Bluestar told you to, they'd believe that," Whitestorm suggested.

"Good idea, Whitestorm. Wait—have they gotten fresh-kill today?" Firepaw asked.

"No, so this is a good chance, go now!" Whitestorm ordered him as he dashed off.

Firepaw then rounded the nursery and walked to the fresh-kill pile. He picked up two rabbits and a starling, enough for the queens if they shared, and began walking toward the nursery again.

"Firepaw! What are you doing with all that fresh-kill? If you like eating that much, you can go back to your twolegs!" the sneer came from Tigerclaw, who was headed toward Firepaw, disapproval shadowing his face.

"Bluestar told me to bring it to the queens," Firepaw explained, hastily ignoring the kittypet comment.

"I'd better follow you to make sure you're telling the truth," Tigerclaw's amber eyes glimmered with triumph as if he had caught a snake.

Firepaw groaned inwardly. Why couldn't Tigerclaw realize that his old kittypet ways were behind him? Oh, right, because he's Tigerclaw, and he would never get anything but stereotypes through his thick skull. "Really, Tigerclaw, I can do this by myself."

"If I could trust you," Tigerclaw replied darkly.

"And why can't you?" Firepaw asked.

"Your blood is impure. You are not a true Clan cat, as much as you would like to believe it so. So therefore, I cannot trust you," Tigerclaw said.

Firepaw would have liked to claw his eyes out then and there, and if he knew what would happen in the future because of this cat he would have, but he held his tongue as the tabby warrior followed him into the nursery.

"Hello," Firepaw greeted at the entrance to the nursery.

The queens turned from their circle with Sandpaw in the middle to see who had interrupted their conversation.

"What are _you _doing here?" Sandpaw asked rudely.

It pained Firepaw to see Sandpaw go back to her original scorn so quickly. "I was sent to bring you some fresh-kill," He replied.

"How convenient," Firepaw heard Sandpaw murmur to the queens.

Firepaw walked to the end of the den and began to place the fresh-kill in front of the queens, giving Speckletail the Starling and letting Frostfur, Brindleface, Goldenflower, and Sandpaw share the two plump rabbits. Tigerclaw followed him and watched carefully.

Firepaw set down the last rabbit in front of Sandpaw, lifting his head to meet her eyes as he did so. In them were a look of unavoidable sadness, but she was trying to cover it with anger.

Then he looked away from her hard gaze, turned, and walked out of the den with Tigerclaw stalking out behind him.

"Go after him," Frostfur said to Sandpaw when Firepaw had left.

"What? I know how he feels. Maybe I should go hunting with Dustpaw…" Sandpaw was silenced by an annoyed look from Brindleface.

"Don't go to Dustpaw now, you'd be better off sticking your pretty little muzzle into a beehive," Brindleface told her. "Besides, why do you think Firepaw came in here, anyway?"

"To give us fresh-kill?" Sandpaw guessed.

"No! So he could talk to you, mousebrain. So go after him!" Speckletail lashed her tail.

"Fine, I will, but you just forced me to look even _more_ stupid in front of him than I already do, you just ruined my life," Sandpaw flicked Speckletail's ear with her tail and walked out of the nursery.

Sandpaw spotted Firepaw talking to Whitestorm a little farther off, so she lingered a few foxlengths away quietly. She noticed how demanding Whitestorm looked, and how Firepaw just kept nodding seriously and had his ears pricked as if what he were hearing was important. Then the two of them turned and looked at her. She turned away to pretend that she didn't know they were there, but she heard the sound of Firepaw's pawsteps coming to her.

Scuffling her paws on the ground, Sandpaw waited for him to come over, confusion filling her. _What could he possibly want to do with me? First he hates me, then he likes me, then I think he loves me, then he hates me again, and now I honestly have no idea! What kind of world is this?_

"Sandpaw," Firepaw said when he got to her.

"Um—" Sandpaw began, but was cut off.

"Do you want to go hunting?" Firepaw asked.

"It's nearly midnight," Sandpaw murmured slightly, forcing a, "mousebrain," afterwards.

"We need to talk, and that won't go over well here," Firepaw said, looking around the camp at all the cats looking out of their den entrances at them. The only cats missing were Spottedleaf, Dustpelt, Spiderleg, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight.

Sandpaw looked up and spotted the warriors in the den piled on top of each other trying to get a look out, Bluestar was sitting at her den entrance, the elders were peering out from under the branches of their bush, Tigerclaw leering in a far corner with his usual scowl, and the queens and kits sitting just outside the nursery.

A little gray she-kit bounced in front of Frostfur. "Are they in love?" she piped up.

"Shh, Cinderkit, be quiet," Frostfur hushed.

"You're right," Sandpaw said, keeping her voice so low that even Firepaw had to strain his ears to hear her. "Let's go hunting together tomorrow."

She was about to walk off to the apprentices den when she heard a rustling in the bushes. At the same moment, the warriors got in front of the queens and kits, and arched their backs, prepared to fight.

Then they relaxed as Dustpelt, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight scampered into the clearing, out of breath.

"He's gone!" Squirrelflight exclaimed.

All the cats looked confused, all except Bluestar, anyway, who had already leapt onto the highrock and called the familiar ritual words.

"Thank you, Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Dustpelt; Spiderleg will be missed," Bluestar nodded to them in thanks.

"What's going on?" Firepaw asked, catching a confused look from Sandpaw.

"Spiderleg has gone to the future," Bluestar declared.

Spiderleg went back to the future? Did this mean that he was Dustpelt and Sandpaw's kit, like everyone had suspected, even himself? What did this mean for him and Spottedleaf? What did this mean for him and Sandpaw?

Just then, another sound came from the gorse tunnel, and Spottedleaf stepped out. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?" she asked, giving Firepaw that same, overwhelming stare.

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**DUN! DUN! DUN!**

**What will happen now? Ooh, it's all a mystery. Well, you'll just have to wait, but your going to see Spiderleg's point of view next chappie. **

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal**


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey people. I'm too lazy to say anything except for the fact that we haven't won any water polo games and we've already played the other bad teams. Gosh darn it, we suck! Anyway, on with the chapter which is about Spiderleg!**

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Chapter 18

Spiderleg felt a chilling breeze and opened his eyes. Seeing a blue-gray pelt, he sat bolt upright. Noticing this was Bluestar, he knew he was dreaming. He realized that they were on the starry path, with the old territory, snow laden below them. This was odd, he remembered, because it was greenleaf.

"Bluestar, why have you called me here?" Spiderleg asked, suppressing a shudder as another gust of wind blew by.

"There's something I need you to do!" Bluestar called over the sound of the wind, which had risen dramatically.

"Why is it snowing? It's greenleaf!" Spiderleg asked, raising his voice.

"It's an omen!" Bluestar cried.

"What does it mean?" Spiderleg raised his voice.

"The Dark Forest took away StarClan's ability to go back to the time when your father was an apprentice. This is as far as we can go! Only you can tell them what needs to be told!" Bluestar eyes grew wide and distant as she spoke.

"What am I supposed to do? I just got here, I can't go back now! I need to save my life, and you know very well that there's no way of knowing how much time there is left!" Spiderleg questioned.

"You won't have much time! We are freezing time for you! Go back, speak to the unfrozen, tell them what we need to say, and then get out of there!" Bluestar replied.

The wind suddenly dropped after she spoke, and Spiderleg took a breath to steady himself.

"Okay, I understand. What do you want me to say?" Spiderleg asked.

"Say exactly as I do: 'The storm will rest when frost is gone, but the leaf will remain in bloom.'" Bluestar told him with all the force of a prophecy behind her words.

_The storm will rest when frost is gone, but the leaf will remain in bloom. _Spiderleg thought. _What does it mean? _He contemplated it a while longer, _of course! But how would this cat know?_

"Follow the path!" Bluestar said to him, beginning to flicker away. "Go, quickly, before it's too late!"

Spiderleg nodded and with all the force of StarClan behind him, he ran back in time to where he had left.

Stumbling out in the middle of the clearing this time, Spiderleg whirled around, looking from cat to cat. He noticed that they were at mealtime, many of them midbite, all unmoving.

"Hello?" He called. "Someone's supposed to be here to talk to me, where are you? Who are you?"

"Spiderleg!" The voice was Leafpool's, who was shaking herself unfrozen. Squirrelflight beside her began to move to.

"Spiderleg, we thought you were gone!" Squirrelflight exclaimed.

"Well, if you're so ready to get rid of me, I won't tell you the prophecy," Spiderleg replied.

"Prophecy?" Leafpool asked, perking up her ears.

"Yes, Bluestar sent me back to tell you this, well, actually, I'm asleep in the warriors' den, but I'm here to give you the prophecy.

"What is it?" Squirrelflight asked.

_"The storm will rest when frost is gone, but the leaf will remain in bloom,"_ Spiderleg quoted Bluestar with fear in his eyes.

Leafpool's eyes mirrored his when she realized what it meant.

Spiderleg began to flicker away, and with a cold gust of wind, he was gone.

Spiderleg woke up with a violent prod of a paw in his side.

"Wha…? Why's you wake me up?" he asked, annoyed.

"It's me, Fernpaw, you slept in late and you looked uneasy, so I decided to wake you up," Fernpaw explained.

_She's such a great mother, even when she doesn't know it,_ Spiderleg felt warmth towards the caring apprentice; most she-cats were rigid and tough until they go into the nursery, but she was fair and kind even before that.

"Thanks, Fernpaw. That was… really kind of you," Spiderleg said, but his voice was hesitant.

"Actually, Spiderleg, there's one more thing, will you come with me, please?" Fernpaw asked, walking out of the den with a couple glances over her shoulder.

Spiderleg usually wouldn't tolerate being bossed around by an apprentice, but this was the she-cat that gave him life, and at this point, she could take it away **(a/n: that won't happen, kk?)** just as easily, so he followed her.

"Spiderleg, I'd like you to meet my son, Birchfall. He came back in the past, just like you did," Fernpaw introduced.

Spiderleg looked his brother in the eye and murmured, "We've met."

"Oh, right, of course you have, you two are both from the future, I keep forgetting," Fernpaw blushed and looked down, avoiding Spiderleg's gaze.

Spiderleg flicked his ear and drew one paw back in confusion at the gesture. "Erm… right. Fernpaw, is there anything else?"

"Just one thing," Fernpaw flicked her tail to indicate to Birchfall that he should leave. When he was gone, she continued, "Does Birchfall look like his father?"

Spiderleg dipped his head to the side, confused. Surely she would know? He remembered telling Dustpelt **(a/n: it's okay to call him that now, right?)** that Birchfall was his brother before he left, so there could be no confusion, right? Dustpelt must have forgotten or the time belt must have been messed up again, because Fernpaw didn't know.

"So does he? Spiderleg!" Fernpaw's voice snapped Spiderleg out of his thoughts.

Spiderleg remembered the question, and then thought about his father and his younger brother. Dustpelt was a dark brown tabby with a muscular profile and amber eyes, while Birchfall was a light brown tabby with a more lithe shape and pale green eyes like their mother's. "No, he doesn't look like his father," Spiderleg told Fernpaw.

Fernpaw looked Spiderleg from ears to tail-tip, murmured, "Thank you, Spiderleg," and then walked away.

Spiderleg wondered what was going on in her head. Oh, the questions she must have! Spiderleg wouldn't be able to stand it if a cat from the future came and told him that he was his kit. He wouldn't be able to help but ask about the mysteries of the future. These cats must have a lot of patience to not attack him for information so well. Dismissing the thought, Spiderleg walked toward the thorn tunnel, wondering if he should have said that Birchfall _did _look like his father, after all, they do have their similarities…

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**I hope you liked the chapter! As usual, review! And, I don't know what color Dustpelt's, Ferncloud's, and Birchfall's eyes are, I'm pretty sure these are Dustpelt's and Ferncloud's colors, but I have no idea about Birchfall.**

**With all due respect, Firestar's Gal **


	20. Chapter 19

_**The anonymous reviewer by the name of 'What'— I'm sorry if you think that my version of Spottedleaf is unfair, but that is how it has to be. And yes, I agree that Sandpaw **_**was **_**a nuisance in the first book, but she gets better later on. I'm also sorry that I can't bring any more future cats back, but the fact is that I already have six, and I'll end up bringing back everyone at this rate. Oh, and by the way, there **_**are **_**no lost points for me to make up for.**_

**GSC! I'm so excited! If all goes well on this chapter, I'll hit 300 reviews! (That's why you guys are so important!) I feel like I just got 100, and now I'm nearing **_**300!**_** WHOO! Okay, in other news, I've been home with a headache. I missed TWO water polo games but I was able to go to school Wednesday for team pictures. I owe it to my friend, at least, because she wanted a buddy picture. Okay, along with this maybe being (though there hasn't been a chapter with less than 15 reviews for quite a while) my chapter to hit 300 reviews, it's also my 20****th**** update; GIVE IT UP FOR CHAPTER 19! (-Cough- Sorry, I'm on a sugar high, Daddy brings me candy like, every 1-2 hours when I'm sick)**

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Chapter 19

Leafpool and Squirrelflight looked from where Spiderleg had just vanished to each other.

Squirrelflight opened and closed her mouth repeatedly as if she were debating on what to say to her sister.

"We had better get back into our places," Leafpool said, indicating with her tail to the spot where the sisters were sharing a shrew.

Squirrelflight nodded in silent agreement and walked back to where she was sitting with her mouth on the shrew's tiny forepaw. Leafpool followed her and sat before her, positioning her head to where it was before. After a moment's pause, time unfroze and cats continued mealtime as if nothing had happened.

"So, what do you think it means?" Leafpool asked Squirrelflight.

"You're the medicine cat, how am I to know?" Squirrelflight responded.

"But even medicine cats have to learn what their prophecies mean. Remember the one about Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost? I didn't understand what it meant until it came true," Leafpool reminded Squirrelflight.

"You have a point. But this one doesn't seem as tricky. Perhaps 'the storm will rest' means something about Stormfur? And 'the leaf will remain in bloom' might be about you…" Squirrelflight suggested.

"Unlikely," Leafpool said. "'The storm will rest' probably refers to something stopping or dying, maybe a cat, maybe not. 'The leaf will remain in bloom' might mean that something, more likely than not a cat, will _not_ cease. But I have no idea to 'when frost is gone,' might mean."

"Maybe it has something to do with Frostfur?" Squirrelflight asked, casting a glance at the entrance to the nursery where she sat with the other queens eating fresh-kill.

"But Frostfur can't go anywhere; she has kits to look after. I doubt it has anything to do with her," Leafpool objected.

"But it doesn't have to be her," Squirrelflight's eyes glowed with satisfaction as she spoke. "Remember the Fire-and-Tiger prophecy? It meant Firestar's kit and Tigerstar's kit. It wasn't about Firestar or Tigerstar at all."

Leafpool's eyes lit up with understanding. "So it means Frostfur's kits! Remember when mother told us about Brokenstar when we were still in the nursery? It happens on the night when her kits are stolen! The storm will rest when Frostfur's kits are gone!" Leafpool exclaimed.

"When does that happen?" Squirrelflight asked.

"The night when Spottedleaf died, remember when father told us about that?" Leafpool reminded her.

"Great StarClan!" Squirrelflight exclaimed.

"What is it?" Leafpool asked.

"'The leaf will remain in bloom!'" Squirrelflight quoted the prophecy.

"It must mean that she'll live!" Leafpool's eyes were wide with shock.

"Do you know when this will be?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Three days after the ShadowClan attack, and Lionheart's death," Stormfur said, walking up to them. "Our father told us everything about his life in ThunderClan while he was in RiverClan."

"Oh, I know about that. The attack was the night after the trip to the moonstone!" Leafpool reminded her.

"That's right! So all we need to know is what 'the storm will rest' means, and we'll be able to make sure the prophecy comes true!" Squirrelflight exclaimed in excitement.

"I don't think that the sign is supposed to be about Stormfur," Leafpool said, flicking her tail at the gray half-Clan cat.

"Why?" Squirrelflight asked.

"What would it have to do with us? It'd have to be a –storm that is significant in our lives," Leafpool explained.

"And I'm not?" Stormfur asked, though he had no idea what they were talking about.

"Sorry, you are, but the sign wouldn't have been for us if it had been about you," Leafpool said.

"What sign?" Stormfur asked.

"Sorry, Stormfur, but we really can't tell you at the moment," Leafpool replied.

"Fine then," Stormfur stalked off flicking his tail rudely at them as he did so.

"Anyway, who would this –storm be?" Squirrelflight asked her sister.

"Please don't tell me you're _that _impaired," Leafpool said, giving her sister a look.

Squirrelflight searched her mind, her eyes growing wide with terror as she realized what the prophecy had said. Sandstorm was going to die when Frostfur's kits were taken, and Spottedleaf would still live! "No," she breathed, shutting her eyes.

Leafpool nodded at her gravely. "We need to stop this!" she exclaimed.

"When's the trip to the moonstone?" Squirrelflight asked.

Leafpool was about to respond, but then she noticed Lionheart walking over to the apprentice's den. They listened closely to what he said:

"Well, it seems that Firepaw, Graypaw, and Ravenpaw are about to reach another important stage in their training," the golden deputy mewed.

"What's that?" Graypaw asked.

"Bluestar wishes you three to accompany her on her journey to the Moonstone tonight!" Lionheart exclaimed.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight stopped listening and glanced at each other in fear. They didn't have much time to warn someone about the ShadowClan attack, and they needed to stop the prophecy from coming true!

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**I hope you liked the chapter! I think I'll continue with this next instead of doing a Spiderleg chapter. I really need to get back on the GrayxSilver too. A lot of Spotty fans like the GrayxSilver and nothing else, and I need my reviews! **

**-Firestar's Gal**

**Ps: I'm getting close, but I won't update until I hit my 300****th**** review, so review, people, REVIEW!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Hey people, it's good to update again. Umm this might sound a bit weird but I'll go ahead and say it anyway… my father mentioned to me today (Wednesday) that some person in a neighboring city to mine (Clovis) by the name of Katelin/Katelyn/Katelynn/etc. was reading warriors and mentioned me by username. Father said she told him her username but (having the memory that I inherited) he forgot it. If you are said person, I'd be great if you could tell me in a review (and mention what father's occupation is so I know it's really you). I'll admit, once I heard about this, I totally freaked because I never thought that a person who lives near where I live would read my stories. I'm rather big-headed at the moment, but really, who wouldn't be?**

**Anyway, THANK YOU everybody for my 300+ reviews! I'm so freaking excited. I keep worrying that I'm going to have to end the story eventually, but I really don't want to. This will probably be going on for quite a while, or at least I hope so. I'm going to try very hard to keep it going as long as needed, and maybe exceed (hopefully) 30, 40, or even 50 chapters. I really don't want to finish, and it seems that every time I post a chapter I'm getting closer and closer to the close, but I'm going to stretch it as long as possible.**

**On with the story!**

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Chapter 20

Squirrelflight and Leafpool gave each other another glance, green eyes reflecting amber ones, and stood up. They knew that they couldn't tell exactly what the hurry was, but they knew that they had to warn someone. They were approaching the apprentice's den when Firepaw, who had gone back inside, stepped out.

"Hi Squirrelflight, Leafpool," Firepaw greeted with a curt nod, unsure if he should respect them for being higher-ranked or look down on them for being younger, or treat them as equals for probably being the same rank (or at least Squirrelflight) as him one day. "Leafpool, I trust you're here to see Sandstorm," he continued, stepping aside to let her go. "But why are you here, Squirrelflight?"

"Actually," Leafpool corrected him, "We're both here to see you. There's something important that we need to tell you. Would you step outside for a second with us?"

Firepaw had a confused look on his face, wondering why the daughter of a cat who had had such high disregard towards him before all this would be so interested in him, but he wiped off the look almost instantly and followed the two she-cats away from the den.

"Firepaw, we have a very important warning for you," Squirrelflight said in a low voice.

"Go on," Firepaw invited, looking at her with his brow furrowed.

"We can't tell you exactly what will happen, but you're just going to have to trust us," Leafpool continued where her sister left off.

"When you leave the moonstone, you're going to have to get back to the camp as soon as possible," Squirrelflight told him.

"Why?" Firepaw asked.

"Something will happen the night after, but when it's died down, do not be off your guard. It will not be over, and you will need to protect the one you love," Leafpool said.

Firepaw just stared blankly in confusion. Though he said nothing, what he was thinking was written on his face: _Spottedleaf, or someone else? _Then he glanced back at the apprentice's den where Sandpaw was peering out between two branches at the trio with distinct interest.

"Who—" he finally said, only to be stopped by Squirrelflight's tail-tip being put in front of his muzzle to prevent him from finishing his question.

"You decide," she whispered, and then she and Leafpool walked away silently, leaving a very confused Firepaw looking after them.

-XxX-

When Firepaw, Graypaw, Ravenpaw, Tigerclaw, and Bluestar had left for the trip to the moonstone, Sandpaw approached Leafpool and Squirrelflight.

"What were you talking to Firepaw about?" she asked.

"Oh, just stuff," Squirrelflight answered.

"You know, Leafpool, you've been hanging around Squirrelflight and Firepaw a lot lately, namely Squirrelflight. Why?" Sandpaw asked.

"I guess it's just habit. I see them both a lot in the future," Leafpool replied.

"Oh, let me guess: Firepaw gets beat in every fight he picks and his daughter inherits it, so they are in the medicine den every moment of every day," Dustpaw sneered, coming up from behind Sandpaw.

Infuriated, Squirrelflight lashed out a forepaw at him and jumped on him, bowling him over. Pinning him down by the chest with her white forepaw, she bent down until her nose was less than an inch away from his. Her voice was hard and her eyes were sharp and threatening as she spoke in a low tone, "My father is a great cat and you've no right to talk about him like that, understood?"

Dustpaw let out a whimper and recoiled his head. He managed to squeak out a high-pitched "Understood," before Squirrelflight released him.

"Is there a problem?" Lionheart, who had just walked up to them, asked, giving stern looks to Squirrelflight and Dustpaw.

"_He_ insulted my father," Squirrelflight said, casting a glance full of hatred at Dustpaw.

"So you just thought that it would be okay to attack him?" Lionheart asked.

"Yes, in fact, I did. He insulted me as well, and said I was soft because I inherited it from my father," Squirrelflight spat.

"Stupid kittypet," Dustpaw mumbled.

"My father is no kittypet, nor am I," Squirrelflight cast a ferocious glance back at him.

"Stop this nonsense at once!" Lionheart cut in. "Dustpaw, go back to your den. Squirrelflight, do what you like, but don't go near him." Then he turned and stalked off.

Squirrelflight's eyes traced every one of Dustpaw's steps as he walked back into the apprentice's den.

"What was that about?" Sandpaw asked.

"Wouldn't you do anything to prove that you are just as good as everyone else?" Squirrelflight asked.

"I've never had to," Sandpaw replied.

"I guess it comes easily if you're born fully Clanborn. Even though I was never a kittypet, I'm half kittypet, so life hasn't always been easy," Squirrelflight explained.

"So even after all that time, the Clan does not respect Firepaw, and it's taken out on his kit?" Sandpaw asked.

"No, the Clan has very high respect for him, he's somewhat an authority figure, but the other Clans, namely ShadowClan, don't treat him as an equal, and we have to fight alongside him," Squirrelflight explained.

"Who?" Sandpaw asked.

_The three of us, _Squirrelflight wanted to say, looking at Leafpool and Sandpaw. But she knew she couldn't, so instead she murmured, "His mate and kits."

"They defend him well," Leafpool murmured. "Every time ThunderClan gets mocked for having impure blood, they're there for him. The whole Clan treats him with respect."

"Wow," Sandpaw said under her breath. _He must be special,_ she thought in awe.

The she-cats talked for a long while on a great many subjects, from the best places to find prey and herbs to relationships in the Clan. Leafpool and Squirrelflight tried to give nothing away, while Sandpaw pressed them to tell her more. They hadn't noticed how much time got away from them until Lionheart approached them.

"You three had better go to your dens, it's getting late," he said.

The three she-cats looked around the clearing, which was now empty. The sky was dark and the whole of Silverpelt was above them. Sandpaw yawned. "I have an assessment tomorrow," she remembered, and staggered toward the apprentices' den, only pausing when she got to the entrance to look back and say good night.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight made their way back to their own den, and, as much as they needed it, they knew they would not sleep well.

For a battle was mere hours away, and they knew what the outcome would be.

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**You like, yes? Then review! Firestar's Gal likes reviews. Reviews good. So you review now. Go on, click that little button at the bottom of the screeny-thinggy and tell me what you think. Tell me good, bad, mistakes, short, long, whatever, just review!**

**Firestar's Gal**


	22. Chapter 21

**Hey, people, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY I haven't updated in AGES. I bet I lost like a ton of my audience. Oh, well, I still LOVE writing this story, but I admit, I got lazy over the holidays, and plus I had a major case of WWB. So I started writing Maximum Ride fanfics and I started up a blog yesterday (that's Friday, January 25, if you didn't know) check it out! Anyway, I don't want to bore you to tears with the details, so here's the chapter.**

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**Chapter 21**

Leafpool was walking in the forest with Spottedleaf, collecting herbs. She had a rock in her stomach, but she didn't show it. What was she going to do? Spottedleaf was a good cat, even though she was a little crazy at times. If she didn't die soon, someone would have to kill her. Leafpool had a feeling that Spottedleaf wouldn't like it if she was killed by another medicine cat.

Leafpool just wished she was back home. She wished that the Dark Forest cats hadn't suddenly acquired brains. They were _so _dead. Oh, wait.

She couldn't believe that the battle was tonight. There was a ton to do. Maybe she could suggest extra patrols on the ShadowClan border to Lionheart, but he would suspect something's up.

Spottedleaf cut into her thoughts. "Leafpool, you look a little distracted. What's up?" She had a concerned look on her face as she spoke.

"Spottedleaf, what if you knew something that was about to happen, but weren't sure if it was a wise idea to let anyone else know?" Leafpool asked, deliberately not looking at her.

"You mean like a prophecy? It's always best to tell your leader so he or she can help you figure out what it means," Spottedleaf advised, and went back to gnawing on a root.

"Not like a prophecy, Spottedleaf. Like, let's say, hypothetically, you're from the future and you come back in time. You know something's about to happen but you're not sure if you want to mess up the space/time continuum," Leafpool said with mock sarcasm. She looked up at Spottedleaf, trying to search for answers.

"Oh, I see what you're saying. Leafpool, is someone going to die?" Spottedleaf asked all seriousness in her amber eyes.

Leafpool's heart ached. She felt torn in two. She knew either her mother or her new friend would die in a few days. She knew that if she told Spottedleaf, she might want to try to make sure she was the one who lived. Part of her felt obligated to tell Spottedleaf, but she couldn't. "Spottedleaf, I'm sorry, but what's going to happen is going to happen. I don't want to mess anything up by telling you or any other cat. I just need to think about this." She looked at Spottedleaf one last time, immense pain showing in her amber eyes, and then she turned tail and ran off.

Spottedleaf felt tempted to call after, "Leafpool, wait!" but she knew she couldn't. Whatever this burden was, it was heavy enough already. The last thing she ever wanted to do was add to it. She let out a silent whimper and sat down, exhausted, herbs forgotten. What could possibly be going on in this she-cat's head? _Poor Leafpool._

oOoOo

Squirrelflight was walking through the forest hunting for the Clan. Bizarrely, she didn't feel like annoying the heck out of everyone in the Clan. It felt so different with her parents not being able to do anything about it. While she was pondering this, she ran into Leafpool. Or more like, Leafpool ran into her. Literally.

Crashing off to the side, Squirrelflight suddenly _did _feel like being the annoying she-cat she was, and she got up and gave her sister a look.

"What was _that _for?" She exclaimed, fury written on her face.

"There you are!" Leafpool exclaimed.

"What?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Leafpool explained.

"For…" Squirrelflight asked.

"I don't think we should tell anyone about the battle. I have a feeling it might mess something up," Leafpool said to Squirrelflight. Her eyes didn't meet her sister's, but they went slightly over her shoulder, blankly into the woods towards the ThunderClan camp.

"Should we drop hints? Hide the fresh-kill pile, anything?" Squirrelflight asked, unsure if this was the best thing to do.

"No, I think we should give nothing away. Let them get angry later. I want everything to happen the way it did. Even though there'll be deaths, it's all we can do," Leafpool said.

"What's that about deaths?" Lionheart strode up to the two she-cats. Leafpool and Squirrelflight gulped in unison. Lionheart was going to die tonight.

Leafpool sighed. "Lionheart, do you feel like you've done well in you life… um, so far?"

"Am I dying?" Lionheart asked. He didn't show fear in his voice or his eyes. It was just a casual question, like, "How much prey did you catch?" not much like "Am I dying?" at all.

"Do you feel like you've been a good cat?" Leafpool asked again, ignoring his question.

"Am I dying?" Lionheart asked again with the same tone of voice.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight remained silent.

"So I am. I knew this would come soon. I had a feeling. I'm not a young cat you know, and it's okay, I'm not afraid of joining StarClan," Lionheart said after a few seconds. He had a little tiny hint of sadness in his voice and a distant look in his eyes, but he sounded courageous. He was so admirable. Too bad he was going to bite it tonight.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight wordlessly nuzzled him caringly, wondering what they should do for a cat that was going to die soon.

"Come on," Lionheart said in his strong tone, "let's go prepare for this battle." He turned and started walking to camp.

"Lionheart, why are you going to the camp?" Squirrelflight asked as she and Leafpool caught up with him. "Shouldn't you try and go away from your death, not look it in the face and fight it anyway?"

"I can't run from death. This is supposed to happen, so it'll happen. I'm not afraid of death," Lionheart said in a strong voice, betraying no emotion except confidence and strength.

Leafpool and Squirrelflight said nothing more, but padded on toward the camp. They were just at the top of the ravine when they heard terrified screeching. The battle was happening now! The three cats flung into the clearing as fast as lightening—but only two would get out alive.

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**Hey, everyone, I'm still sooooooooooo sorry that It's been forever since I last posted, but never fear! I'm going to get back on track with this. I WILL update this weekend, mark my words, or I will give up writing forever (and I'd NEVER do that, just so we're clear). Glad to be back.**

**-Golden Ice**


	23. Chapter 22

**Hey, everybody, let's get this show on the road! This chapter has been brought to you by: Golden's Sugar High!**

**Okay, maybe not. But this is a chapter about Spiderleg, so sorry to everybody who wanted the battle to happen now, you still have like a week to wait. I'm not giving up writing yet (but I almost gave up drawing because my mom left my art book in SuperCuts today :P), because I am back! –happydance-**

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**Blast From the Past chapter 22**

Spiderleg got on with his day, wondering if Leafpool and Squirrelflight were going to be able to fix the timeline. He prayed to StarClan that even if he died, that they wouldn't. He was always just a face in the crowd in ThunderClan. Nothing special, no mate, a few friends, just a cat with his warrior duties. Leafpool, Squirrelflight, Stormfur, Feathertail, and a lot of others weren't like that. They were important to the Clan. They helped all four Clans on the Great Journey. They helped bring everyone together. Spiderleg both envied them and respected them for everything they were known for. They were going to be in elders' tales long after they died. If they got back, and, you know, _existed. _

A noise cut into his thoughts. Spiderleg whirled around to see Fernpaw waiting there expectantly.

"Hey, Spiderleg, do you want to go hunting with me?" Fernpaw asked, looking at her paws.

"Is it okay with your mentor?" Spiderleg asked.

"Uh-huh. I asked if we could go hunting, but he said he didn't want to, but then I asked if I could go with someone else, and he said yes, so I thought, since you don't look busy that I'd ask you," Fernpaw replied.

"Okay," Spiderleg said slowly, leading the way to the gorse tunnel.

When they were deep into the forest, Spiderleg turned to Fernpaw.

"Okay," he said. "You go towards Sunningrocks, I'll go towards snakerocks. We'll meet up at sunhigh."

"But I want to stay with you," Fernpaw complained.

"Why do you always want to stick around me?" Spiderleg asked.

Fernpaw recoiled and had a slightly scared-sad look on her face. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know that I was bothering you. I really didn't mean it. I just was so curious, and you seemed nice, and, and, I'm sorry!" she exploded into a cry and collapsed on the grass, soaking it.

"Shh, shh. It's okay, it's okay," Spiderleg cooed. Now _this _was weird. She was the one who had comforted him when Shrewpaw died, but now he had to step up and act like the mature one. "_I'm _the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," he licked her between the ears and she looked up into his amber eyes.

Fernpaw's green eyes dilated huge as she looked at him. She didn't speak. What should she have said? This was one of those situations where things just didn't seem to get any easier when someone apologized.

"So, which way do you want to head?" Spiderleg asked, breaking the silence.

"Really?" Fernpaw's ears pricked up and her eyes shone as she spoke. "We can hunt together?"

"Yeah, come on," Spiderleg replied as she got up and walked towards Sunningrocks.

oOoOoOo

Later that evening, after Spiderleg and Ferncloud got back from the hunting patrol, after mealtime, Spiderleg and Dustpelt were talking in the clearing.

"Good to see you again, Spiderleg," Dustpelt greeted. "But I was kind of hoping I would actually have my mate and kits by now."

"Geez, Dustpelt, it's called patience," Spiderleg scoffed. "I mean, c'mon. Give me a break, _I _don't even have a mate and kits yet, and cats who are younger than me already have kits who are apprentices."

"Wow, I thought _I _was a loser," Dustpelt replied.

"Hang in there, you still have a while," Spiderleg reminded him.

"So do you," Dustpelt replied, cuffing Spiderleg over the ear with his forepaw.

oOoOoOo

"So, it looks like you've found Birchfall's father," Brightpaw teased to Fernpaw, giving her a nudge.

The two she-cat apprentices were sitting outside the entrance to the apprentices' den still, even though mealtime was over and they spent the first of the stars were coming out.

"Really?" Fernpaw was taken aback by the statement, for they had been talking about whether squirrels could really fly or not. "Who?"  
"Isn't it obvious?" Brightpaw rolled her shoulders and nodded towards Spiderleg. "Birchfall doesn't look like his father, Spiderleg acts weird around you, and his father looks like Birchfall. That must be where he got it from."

"You think?" Fernpaw overlooked the information. "Maybe, but he's got to be a lot younger than me."

"It's happened before. Though I don't see with whom. Cloudpaw is _my _age," Brightpaw cast glance back to the sleeping form of Cloudpaw in the apprentices' den.

"You like Cloudtail?" Fernpaw asked with distinct interest. Why hadn't her friend told her that before?

"He's cute, foreign, rebellious, _and _the deputy's nephew and apprentice," Brightpaw wiggled her brow.

Fernpaw laughed. Her friend was so funny. She swore they were both awful at picking out toms. But Brightpaw seemed to find a stronghold. Plus, Cloudtail liked her back. Fernpaw wished that she would be that lucky, but she wasn't. Not _yet. _

"Isn't he just _great?" _Brightpaw asked, looking google-eyed at Cloudpaw through the entrance.

"He'd go to the ends of the earth for you," Fernpaw replied.

"He would?" Brightpaw sounded and looked genuinely shocked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Fernpaw did a perfect imitation of Brightpaw's voice.

"Isn't what obvious?" Brightpaw did a perfect imitation of Fernpaw's clueless voice.

"That he follows you around all the time, and he whispers your name in his sleep, and the fact that he has 'I LOVE BRIGHTPAW!' written on his head?" Fernpaw asked.

"Do you really think so?" Brightpaw asked.

"I know so," Fernpaw replied.

The two she-cats looked at each other and laughed. They were such great friends, and they had great toms waiting for them. Or so they thought.

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**DUN! DUN! DUN! I just felt like putting that in. Did you like it? Probably not. I'm hoping that this is the chapter that gets me to 400 reviews, but since I've lost a lot of my reader population, I'm not really thinking so. But how hard can 7 reviews be? Oh, well. Honorable mention to my 400****th****, o'course. And I'm so freaking excited that I'm getting back on track. "On the road again…" oh, I shouldn't sing. But I'm alone, and bored, so, what the heck. "TWOOOOO can be as bad as one!"**

**-Golden**


	24. Chapter 23

**Hey people! Sorry for the looooooooooooooooong wait. I've been getting lazy for the past couple… months, but I absolutely had to post a chapter because the week after next I'll be going on my school's DC/NY trip. And I got in a group with all boys wiggles eyebrows so if you're there, look me up. I'll be wearing a cheezy blue and orange backpack that looks like everyone else's in the group I'll be in. I'm soooooooo stoked. But anyway, Honorable Mention to Acid Raynefire (cool name) for giving me my 400****th**** review. And thanks to everyone else too. You RULE! So, here's chapter 23.**

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**Chapter 23**

Squirrelflight flung into the clearing as fast as lightening, latching onto the back of a black and white she-cat and holding on with all her might. The she-cat shrieked in pain and tried to shake her off, but she wouldn't let go. She fought back the urge to leap off as the she-cat ran around in circles and began to head out the gorse tunnel. Her face got scratched up pretty bad as she was carried through. She still hung on as the she-cat ran through the forest, towards Fourtrees.

"Will you ever get off?" the cat cried in annoyance.

"Will you ever give up?" Squirrelflight said as they burst into the clearing. She flung off the cat's back and they started scratching at each other constantly.

"What's going on here?" a voice came from the top of the clearing.

Both Squirrelflight and the ShadowClan cat shrank back in fear at the sight of Tigerclaw. Then Bluestar, Graypaw, Ravenpaw, and Firepaw came out behind him. Squirrelflight relaxed a little, but the ShadowClan cat stayed tense.

"It's the battle!" Bluestar exclaimed. "Just as StarClan warned me at the moonstone!"

"Squirrelflight, is that what you meant when you spoke to me earlier?" Firepaw asked.

Squirrelflight nodded, and Firepaw's face grew serious.

"She spoke to you, and you didn't tell anyone else about it?" Tigerclaw turned to him with a threatening look on his face.

"Yes, Tigerclaw, he did. Just because he's an apprentice doesn't mean he needs to tell everyone everything he does. I can see why he might want to keep this a secret," Bluestar stepped to Firepaw's defense.

"Come on! We don't have time for this!" Squirrelflight shouted, leading the way back to the camp. The ShadowClan cat fled back to who-knows-where, but probably not the battle considering she was pretty beat up, and most likely exhausted as well.

Flinging himself into the clearing, Firepaw got himself into tight combat with a tabby warrior she-cat, at least twice his size. He quickly sent her off into the forest, whimpering in pain.

He checked on the newcomers. Squirrelflight was lashing at the eyes of a tabby tom. Stormfur was fighting ferociously alongside Graypaw. Leafpool was being double-teamed. Firepaw raced over quickly to help. Together, they fought off the two huge black toms and sent them whimpering into the undergrowth.

Leafpool looked up at Firepaw in awe. _He was even a great fighter then, _she thought.

"What is it?" Firepaw met her awed gaze with a confused one.

"You fight really well for an apprentice," she remarked coolly.

"You fight really well for a medicine cat," he replied, meaning every word of it. _Who'd she get that skill from? Gee, I wonder…_

Suddenly, his eyes flashed to the nursery. Blackfoot was there, and he killed the elder who was bravely guarding the kits. Firepaw winced at the sight. Then, Blackfoot started digging his paw into the nursery, reaching for the kits, which were unprotected because their mothers were out fighting. He began to run towards them, but was attacked by a tortoishell she-cat.

_Spottedleaf? _No. He shook the thought out of his head as he clawed for his life, trying to get to the nursery. Blackfoot had already scooped out some kits, and was reaching for more.

Firepaw sank a deep bite into the tortoishell's shoulder, sending her off. He sprang up and began to run toward the nursery.

"Don't worry, I'll protect them," Yellowfang said, springing out of nowhere to the nursery.

Leafpool just finished scaring off a tabby when she made a quick check around the clearing. She looked at Yellowfang beside the nursery and wished she had spent more time with her too. Firepaw sat down on the ground in the middle of the clearing after Whitestorm and Darkstripe chased the last two intruders out. Leafpool walked over to him.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. How are the kits?" he replied.

"I don't know. Nothing bad, I hope," Leafpool said just as the sound of happy purrs erupted from the nursery. Frostfur weaved through the crowd in front of Yellowfang. She stood before everyone and announced that Yellowfang had saved their kits.

Leafpool turned away as she felt a nudge to her side. It was Squirrelflight. "What about Lionheart?" Squirrelflight asked.

"I don't know. If he's dead, at least we know he was ready," Leafpool said sadly.

"Yeah," Squirrelflight nodded sadly, and they went to the highrock, where Lionheart's body lay.

"Hi," Spottedleaf said sadly.

"Is he okay?" Leafpool asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"Don't you know?" Spottedleaf asked.

Leafpool nodded sadly.

"He was a great cat," Spottedleaf murmured as Firepaw walked up from one side, and Sandpaw from the other.

"Is he okay?" They said at the same time, and then looked shocked at each other, as if they didn't notice that they were there until then.

Spottedleaf shook her head.

"He's on his way to StarClan," Leafpool murmured quietly.

Spottedleaf pressed up against Firepaw's side to comfort him, but that enraged Sandpaw.

"Don't you have anything else to do, Spottedleaf?" Sandpaw asked, her voice turning slowly from exclamatory to menacing as she asked.

"Not unless you have anything I need to check," she replied, sitting down beside Firepaw.

"I have something for you to check, alright! Right up my—"

"Sandpaw!" Whitestorm snapped.

"Sorry, Whitestorm," Sandpaw looked away sheepishly. She hung her head and began to walk towards the apprentice's den, whispering "This is _not _over," to Spottedleaf as she passed the medicine cat.

It really wasn't over.

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**You like? Well, too bad, you're gonna review anyway. I'd like to get to 450 by the time I update again next. It doesn't seem too impossible, and I do plan on updating before my trip, and probably after too. Maybe. I'm trying to get better at this, and get back onto what I used to do. I'm kind of working on personal projects in the world of writing right now, so I don't really know. **

**-Golden Ice**


	25. Chapter 24

**Hey, guys! I decided that I'm going to stop apologizing when I update late, because it looks like every time I write I'll have to apologize. Other than that, I have nothing to say, so this chapter is going to be about Spiderleg, because I felt like it and he's awesome.**

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**Blast from the Past chapter 24**

Spiderleg shook loose scraps of various plants off his head as he woke up the next morning. He licked his paw and drew it over his ear and surveyed the sleeping warriors before him. The dawn patrol had not left yet, but Fireheart's and Cinderpelt's nests were empty. He heard voices coming from outside the den.

"Fireheart, are you going on the dawn patrol?" Cinderpelt's voice was honey-sweet and eager as she tried desperately to get his attention.

"Yes, I was planning to go along the ShadowClan border, and—" Fireheart began, but Cinderpelt's eager voice cut him off.

"I'll go with you! Since we're already up, I mean," Spiderleg could hear the embarrassment in the gray she-cat's voice. "We needn't wake anyone else, let's just go together."

"And how well do you think we'd hold against a ShadowClan patrol?" Fireheart spat back, disgusted.

"You could fight off the whole of ShadowClan by yourself, I know you can," Cinderpelt said so quietly, Spiderleg wasn't sure if he heard it.

Peering out through the branches of the warrior's den, he saw Fireheart give Cinderpelt a frightening glare and stalk back around to the entrance.

"Dawn patrol, anyone?" Fireheart called as he walked back inside, sounding as cheerful as ever, just like that whole conversation hadn't happened.

Spiderleg acted as though he had just woken up. "Oh, okay… I'll go with you. I need something to do," he tried his best to lay a thick coating of sleep over his words, and stretched his mouth into a wide yawn.

"S'pose I'll go too," Brackenfur mumbled, getting up and shaking the ruffles out of his head fur.

_Too bad I can't be that believable, _Spiderleg thought enviously.

As he left the warriors' den, Spiderleg heard Cinderpelt say, "Well, I'm still coming." Fighting words. He wondered if Fireheart would object.

But he didn't. "Oh, very well, just try not to bother me too much," was Fireheart's only reply. Turning to Spiderleg and Brackenfur, who had come out behind Spiderleg, he asked, "Will one of you get an apprentice to join us?"

"I'm coming, Fireheart!" Fernpaw's voice sounded from the apprentices' den. She shot out of the den, and stood at Spiderleg's side.

"Hey, Fernpaw," Spiderleg greeted casually.

"Hi," was Fernpaw's google-eyed reply.

Quiet laughter came from the apprentice's den, and Fernpaw shot back over there to silence it. Various hissing, clawing, and shrieks were heard.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Spiderleg darted into the apprentices' den to break out the fight that had broken out between Fernpaw and Brightpaw. "What's going on here?"

Brightpaw rolled over onto her back, kicked all four legs up into the air and began laughing again, sounding weaker this time.

Fernpaw laughed nervously. "Nothing… just forget about it. Let's get on with that patrol." She walked swiftly past Spiderleg with her head down out to the clearing. Spiderleg sighed and followed her.

The five cats headed out of the gorse tunnel up the ravine with constant chatter coming from Fernpaw and Cinderpelt. Cinderpelt chatted constantly with Fireheart, trying stubbornly to get his attention, while Fernpaw was having the same luck with Spiderleg. Fireheart shot Spiderleg an understanding glance over the two she-cats' heads.

"Hey, Spiderleg," Fernpaw called his attention when they reached the ShadowClan border. She had one forepaw exactly on the boarder, and the other raised up and stretched forward. Her bright, playful, joking eyes shot to a mouse a few feet over the border. "Dare me to?"

"I wouldn't," a voice came from the other side of the border, and out of the bracken, stepped Cinderfur, the ShadowClan deputy. He was followed by Littlecloud, Wetfoot, and Wetfoot's apprentice Oakpaw. "Unless you want a fight, that is."

"No thank you, Cinderfur. Littlecloud, Wetfoot, Oakpaw," Fireheart said formally, nodding to the ShadowClan patrol calmly. He lashed his tail at Fernpaw, and she came scampering back to Spiderleg's side. "We were just patrolling the border."

"Looks more like you were stealing prey," Cinderfur accused, stepping closer to the border threateningly.

Spiderleg didn't listen to Fireheart's reply. He was too busy looking at the little tabby tom standing in front of him in confusion.

"What do you want?" Littlecloud sneered, noticing Spiderleg's speculation.

"Why are you on patrol, Littlecloud? Shouldn't you be in the medicine den?" Spiderleg asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion.

"I know that's where most _ThunderClan_ cats spend their days, but I have my warrior duties to do," Littlecloud sneered.

That's when Spiderleg realized the true severity of the situation. If Cinderpelt had saved Littlecloud from a sickness when she was just and apprentice. That's what had inspired him to become a medicine cat! If Cinderpelt was never a medicine cat, then neither would Littlecloud! The forest would lose two of its most important medicine cats, and worse, Littlecloud would die at his young age! The past needed to be fixed now more than ever!

"Come on, let's get on with our patrol. I think we need to renew the scent marks," Fireheart commanded, a hint of a snarl as he said the words loud enough for the ShadowClan patrol, which was now leaving, to hear.

-X-X-X-

After finishing the scent marks, the group headed back. Fernpaw chattered with Cinderpelt, and Brackenfur walked alone ahead of the group, which left Fireheart and Spiderleg time to talk.

"So, Spiderleg, how's the prey running, in the future, I mean," Fireheart struck up conversation.

"If you're looking for a peek into the future, it's not likely," Spiderleg murmured.

"Sorry. So then, how's the prey running now?" Fireheart asked.

"'S'okay," Spiderleg slurred.

"So… what's the deal with you and Fernpaw? She's been lacking in her training for the time she spends with you," Fireheart sounded concerned, but also curious.

"She's nicer than I thought she would be. She's nice in the future and all, but the authority thing is a little scary," Spiderleg replied, keeping his voice low, as well as his head. "But, I have to admit, I'm getting a little… nervous… around her. You know?" He shot Fireheart a meaningful glance.

Fireheart smiled knowingly. "Yeah, I do… you're Birchfall's father, aren't you?" his voice was as low as Spiderleg's.

Spiderleg's jaw dropped and his eyes grew round with shock.

"It's okay," Fireheart's tone was light, but it kept the low volume, "I won't tell anyone."

Spiderleg struggled to find his voice. "But it's not that, Firest—heart. I'm not Birchfall's father by a long shot," he struggled to keep the scary images out of his head.

"Suuuuuuuure," Fireheart emphasized, walking into the tunnel behind Brackenfur.

As Spiderleg entered behind his future leader, he wondered if he had really made it seem like _he _was Fernpaw's mate. How was he supposed to exist _now? _

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**Okay, same old. Review or die. It's good to see you again, . And it will be good to cross paths with you again, hopefully in the near future.**

**-Golden Ice **


	26. Chapter 25

Yo, guys

**Yo, guys. What a summer it's been! There was absolutely NOTHING to do this whole time except think and go on the internet. School ended… kind of weirdly on June 11****th****. There was this boy I spent time with on the trip and… wait, was I just about to say that on the internet? –Blushes- I really gotta stop doing that. But the 10****th**** was pretty much the weirdest day of my life. Anyway, school starts on the 13****th**** (short summer) and I went to the Sacramento (CA state capitol, for those not savvy to the home land) on Wednesday (the 6****th****) and Santa Cruz on the 7****th****, so at least I get to do something. Anyway, I've been working SUPER hard on my book (hence the absence) and I'm so super close to being done, which is really good because then I can edit it and write the sequel! My mom wants to publish it, but she's crazy, you guys see how I write, I wouldn't come close. But you guys don't want to hear about me, you want to read chapter 25, and I want to start writing it, so here we go!**

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**Chapter 25**

Squirrelflight, Leafpool, and Stormfur all huddled together in fear as they listened to Bluestar name Tigerclaw deputy. She looked meaningfully at the three of them, but they held their faces expressionless. They were not going to give away that Tigerclaw would turn out badly. Unanimously they had come up with the conclusion that everything should be as normal as possible, even if it meant that all the bad that they feared during their days in the nursery (except for Stormfur, who had lived it) would happen. It would be better than the alternatives they had come up with.

Squirrelflight's eyes shot over to Firepaw and Ravenpaw, who were whispering quietly to one another a few foxlengths away. A few moments later, Tigerclaw came up behind them and the secretive expressions on their faces changed to fear.

"I don't blame 'em for getting so worked up. I'd nearly jump out of my skin if he snuck up on me like that!" Stormfur exclaimed from beside Squirrelflight, following her line of sight.

Squirrelflight and Leafpool shuddered at the same time.

The three of them slowly backed away to the shadows surrounding the camp. They didn't know Lionheart well enough to keep vigil, so they slowly crept off to bed.

-X-X-X-

The three of them woke much earlier than most the other cats in the camp, rising just to see the elders disappear out of the camp with Graypaw to bury Lionheart. The beginning was over, but the prophecy still hung in the air.

_The storm will rest when frost is gone, but the leaf will remain in bloom. _Prevention of the prophecy would be impossible, they reflected, since it might have altered the space/time continuum, but they needed to be able to make sure things went as they were told they went, for fear of an irreversible past.

"So, what do we do now?" Stormfur asked Leafpool and Squirrelflight, who were staring blankly at the gorse tunnel where Graypaw had left with the elders.

"We wait," Squirrelflight replied, narrowing her eyes and digging her claws into the ground dramatically.

"Leafpool, Squirrelflight, Stormfur!" Bluestar called the three cats from the mouth of her den.

They swiftly whipped their heads around and gave her their attention.

"Come here, quickly!" Bluestar yowled.

Leafpool lead the way to the leader's den, with Squirrelflight and Stormfur following close behind. Once inside, Bluestar instructed them all to sit.

"Now, look. I hope I'm not offending you in any way, but this is for the good of the Clan," Bluestar began, swirling around in her nest to find a comfortable arrangement- a diversion to avoid meeting any eyes.

"Yes, Bluestar?" Stormfur replied as a signal for her to go on.

"I was just wondering… do you three… perhaps… know if there's any more battles or other problems in the near future of our Clan? I wouldn't be asking this under normal circumstances, but times are hard, and I just need to do what's best for everyone here," Bluestar asked, shuffling her paws nervously, not looking very leader-like at all.

"Conference!" Stormfur shouted, turning tail and leaving the den. Squirrelflight and Leafpool silently followed.

Once outside, Stormfur started speaking.

"I say we keep our mouths shut," he declared.

"But if we do that, we'll be betraying the whole Clan! And Bluestar! This can't end well!" Squirrelflight piped up. "I vote no."

"But it might alter the space/time continuum!" Stormfur retorted.

"It's not worth putting the Clan in danger!" Squirrelflight shot back.

"Haven't you heard the story! Just imagine what will go wrong if this doesn't happen! Firepaw might not get his warrior name! Yellowfang won't get her honor!" Stormfur pointed out.

"We can't put the Clan at risk!" Squirrelflight repeated.

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Leafpool finally cut in. "It's just wasting time and energy arguing like this. So far, we have one vote for telling and one vote for keeping our big mouths shut."

"So what do you think we should do, Leafpool?" Squirrelflight replied smugly. Being her sister, it only made sense for Leafpool to agree?

Leafpool closed her eyes for a second, then slowly opened them. "Well, I think…"

To Be Continued

What will Leafpool say?  
Will they be able to help the Clan in time?

Will Golden Ice stop acting like a loser on fanfiction?

Tune in next time on:

**Blast from the Past**

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**Did you like it? Sorry it got a little awkward at the end, the tab button went haywire, so I had to use spaces, so it probably looks a little weird. I don't know yet because I'm still writing the darned thing. Well, you know the drill, read and review!**

**-Golden Ice**


	27. Chapter 26

**Hey, everyone. Man, It's been a long time. Since it's Super Bowl Sunday, I've decided to stay at home and goof off instead of going over to freaking Kerman with my parents. Guess what! My old computer died! I'm using my brothers' cruddy computer that is so freaking slow it takes 20 mins to load a page of pure text! (okay, not really, but you get the idea). But here's the good news: we sold the mini van! It was in terrible condition and it actually sold for $1,500! And part of that money goes to buying me a new laptop! WAHOO!**

**In other news, I had an amazing report card last semester. Like, it was astonishing. And I'm taking accelerated classes. Next year I'm going to take AP classes too! Best news is, I'm taking debate in sophomore year! I love debating in my Journalism and AVID classes, so I decided just to ditch J2 and take debate instead. I mean, I'd rather take Journalism 2, Avid 10, and Debate, but I gotta take Spanish.**

**Anyway, on with ch. 26 (if anyone still reads this, anyway).**

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**Chapter 26**

This was the day. After deciding not to tell Bluestar what was going to happen, Leafpool felt very scared and kind of guilty. Had she done the right thing, advising Squirrelflight and Stormfur not to tell Bluestar that kits would be stolen, and that either an apprentice or the medicine cat would die? It was too late now, the night was about to fall, and that would be it.

Firepaw was called into Bluestar's den. Leafpool remembered that this was the moment when Bluestar admitted to Firepaw that she had lost her seventh life, and not her fifth. Of course, being a medicine cat, she already knew that, but she needed to keep quiet for the good of the Clan. Even Squirrelflight didn't know unless she remembered the old stories. Leafpool and Squirrelflight lingered next to the den and listened to their conversation.

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Bluestar," Firepaw mewed.

"I am tired now," Bluestar rasped. "Off you go. And Firepaw, I don't expect you to repeat this conversation to anyone."

"Of course, Bluestar," Firepaw replied. The lichen curtain moved, and Squirrelflight and Leafpool hid before he could see them eavesdropping. Firepaw started heading towards the apprentice den.

"Three, two, one," Leafpool whispered to Squirrelflight, remembering exactly how her father had told the story.

"My kits! Someone has taken my kits!" Frostfur yowled in pain as she sprinted into the clearing, her tail bristling and her eyes wide with alarm.

Tigerclaw bounded over to her. "Quick, everyone search the camp! Whitestorm, stay where you are. Warriors, patrol the camp boundary. Apprentices, search every den!"

Everyone began breaking up to their assigned places. Leafpool watched, frozen in panic, as Firepaw ran into a den, stayed for a few seconds, then ran into his own. He darted out of his den and went over to a far part of the camp, just to see Yellowfang disappear. _I can't believe I'm watching this. This is all happening just as Firestar described it to me. It's the most incredible thing in the world. _

Oh, no! Now was the time Spottedleaf was supposed to be found dead. Leafpool paused, waiting for Tigerclaw to yowl behind the nurserey, but it didn't happen.

Then, Leafpool's eyes shot to the medicine den. Cinderkit was waddling towards there, and Leafpool bounded up to her. "Cinderkit, why are you going that way?" Leafpool asked.

"My brother and sister are gone, and my mommy's upset. I need to talk to Spottedleaf," Cinderkit wailed.

"Just a minute, okay Cinderkit?" Leafpool said. "Stay right here, I need to go in there."

Just then, Squirrelflight ran up beside Leafpool. They exchanged a look, and quietly crept through the tunnel that was the entrace to the medicine den.

They peeked out through the tunnel. Spottedleaf had Sandpaw in a corner, and was stalking back and forth in front of her. Spottedleaf's back was turned to them, and Sandpaw took no notice.

"You've humiliated me. You've embarrassed me. You've taken Firepaw, the only cat I've ever loved, from me. And now you, Sandpaw, will pay the price," Spottedleaf said in a threatening voice.

"Spottedleaf, please. It doesn't have to be this way!" Sandpaw yowled.

Then, Spottedleaf lept at Sandpaw. They tussled around the den, but eventually Spottedleaf came out on top. She held Sandpaw down with her forepaw and hooked a yew berry onto a claw on her other forepaw.

"And now, you die!" Spottedleaf pried Sandpaw's mouth open and had a bloody fire in her eyes as she dangled her paw over, about to shove it into Sandpaw's little mouth.

"NO!" Squirrelflight lept into the den triumphantly, and Spottedleaf looked on in fear. She lept at Spottedleaf, and the two of them kept rolling over and over in the fight. Sandpaw sprang in after. Leafpool sat back and watched. Then, a rustling in the bushes caught Leafpool's attention. Clawface had entered the den through the camp wall!

"Stop fighting!" Leafpool demanded at once. Once the fighting ceased and the three she-cats broke apart, Leafpool walked up to Clawface. "Clawface, what were you sent here to do?" she asked him.

"U-um... I was told to kill the medicine cat, but take it easy, okay? I... I don't have to. I can go to another Clan, and kill their medicine cat instead. Just don't hurt me!" Clawface shrank back in fear and whimpered.

"Okay," Leafpool said. Clawface straightened up. "You can kill her, just don't tell anyone we had any involvement."

"Really?" Clawface asked.

"Really."

"And I won't get suddenly ambushed?" Clawface asked.

"Yes. We'll even leave before you end it," Leafpool said.

"Thanks! I would have gotten in so much trouble from Brokenstar if I didn't kill her. But it looked like your two friends were already going to do that for me," Clawface breathed a sigh of relief.

"We'll be going now," Leafpool said, and she, Sandpaw, and Squirrelflight left the den in a hurry and snuck far across camp.

"Wow, Leafpool, that was pretty cold-blooded of you. Maybe you are my kit after all," Sandpaw flicked Leafpool's ear with her tail affectionately.

"I can't believe you were able to do that without cracking," Squirrelflight commented.

"I feel horrible," Leafpool said. "Spottedleaf has helped us so much, Squirrelflight, and we betrayed her trust. I just wagered the death of a medicine cat with a ShadowClan warrior!"

"Shh!" Squirrelflight cut Leafpool off. "There's no time to worry about that now, we can pay our respects to her later, when people find out she's dead."

Tigerclaw's yowl sounded from the bushed behind the nursery. All the cats raced over to him, headed by Frostfur. Tigerclaw was standing over a motionless Spottedleaf.

Bluestar stepped forward, and nosed Spottedleaf's body. "She has been killed by a warrior blow," she mewed softly. Sottedleaf was pretty scratched up from the fight, but there was a deep wound at the back of her neck. That must have been the wound that Clawface made.

Suddenly, at the back of the crowd someone yowled, "Yellowfang is gone!"

Leafpool and Squirrelflight knew what would happen next. They knew that Yellowfang would be blamed for all of this. But it didn't matter. All would be sorted out. They had done their job, and that's all that mattered.

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**Sorry if it was a little short. Wordpad doesn't count pages like Word does. And sorry if I spelled things wrong. It also doesn't have spellcheck. I really need that laptop soon. Maybe it'll drive me to do more writing!**

**Love you all, I'm glad to be back. **

**Golden Ice **


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